Folk signs for April 27: what can and cannot be done
In Russia, omens have been given special importance since ancient times. They were used to judge the weather, when to sow and harvest, and what to expect in the future. Therefore, every day of the national calendar was full of rituals and superstitions. Izvestia tells about the popular signs of April 27 and what church holidays are celebrated on this day.
Folk signs for April 27
In the folk calendar of the Eastern Slavs, the date of April 27 received a gloomy and at the same time crafty name — Martin Lisogon. The nickname is associated with the unique behavior of animals from the point of view of peasant observation. According to beliefs, it is on these April days that old foxes leave their burrows en masse, moving to new shelters dug in advance. It was believed that during this "housewarming", the predators lost their natural vigilance for a short time, becoming supposedly blind and deaf, which allowed an experienced hunter to sneak up on them with almost bare hands.
April 27 was also called the "Crow Holiday": it was believed that old crows bathe their grown—up chicks ("ravens") in still cold spring puddles, and then release them "to the department" - to independent family life. In the old days, this was perceived as a moment of differentiation between the world of the living and the dead, so they tried not to offend the birds, fearing to invite trouble: "A crow croaks to bad weather, and a raven to bad luck," the elders warned.
In the southern provinces of Russia, the active phase of field work began on Martinov Day — plowing and sowing of early grain. The peasants worked "from dawn to dusk," believing that their diligence would pay off handsomely today. However, the male population was more interested in hunting: if you catch a fox on the day of its infirmity, luck will accompany you all year, and if you leave empty—handed, you can not wait for prey until the summer. There was also a tradition to look closely at the weather: warmth and sunlight promised a rich harvest, and rain foreshadowed easy plowing, as the ground became softer.
The fate of the harvest and the weather for the coming months were predicted by the behavior of birds, animals, and even frogs. It was believed that nature itself gives signs, telling a person when to start, sit down and wait for warmth. The signs were mainly related to the mating games of birds and the activity of forest dwellers after hibernation.
Other signs of the day:
- a flock of cranes is visible in the sky — for the imminent arrival of guests or a long journey.;
- frogs croak loudly and often, in case of precipitation or bad weather.;
- birch gives a lot of sweet juice — autumn will come late and will be long.;
- crows sit on the ground for a long time, pressing their wings to steady warmth; if they circle high in the sky, the weather will deteriorate.;
- It's warm and sunny on this day — for a good, satisfying year.;
- if a willow tree has bloomed and swallows have arrived, it's time to plant seedlings in the garden.
What not to do on April 27
Despite the fact that the day was considered a good one for starting a romantic relationship (it was popularly called the day of the show), it imposed strict restrictions on human behavior. Violation of the prohibitions threatened with diseases, ruin and the intervention of evil spirits. In Russia, it was believed that on April 27 it was especially easy to charm trouble by angering the "owner" of the forest or a sinister bird.
What else can not be done on March 25:
- to hold a grudge against loved ones or to deceive — to suffer yourself from someone else's lies and betrayal;
- washing the husband and wife's clothes together leads to a quick and violent quarrel, even to the point of separation;
- Wearing a lot of jewelry and dressing up too much can attract the attention of evil spirits and pickpockets.;
- to look out the window after sunset for unmarried girls is not to meet their betrothed until old age.;
- offending crows or ruining nests leads to great family tragedies and misfortunes.;
- to promise something that you cannot fulfill — circumstances will develop in such a way that the promise will become the enemy.;
- to spit on the ground or swear is to attract the attention of evil spirits that will disturb your peace.
Church holidays on April 27
St. Martin I the Confessor, Pope of Rome (date according to the old style — April 14)
On April 27, the Orthodox Church commemorates St. Martin I, whose name this day bears. Born in the Italian region of Tuder (modern Todi), he received a brilliant education and served as the papal ambassador (apocrisiary) in Constantinople. This period became a time of turmoil for Byzantium: the empire was gripped by the heresy of Monothelitism, which falsely taught that there was only one Divine will in Christ, and the human will was denied.
Having become Pope in 649 without the approval of Emperor Constantine II, Saint Martin immediately convened the Lateran Council in Rome. It was attended by 105 bishops, who, under Martin's chairmanship, condemned the Monothelite heresy and supported the doctrine of two wills in Christ — Divine and human. In response, the enraged emperor sent the military commander Olympius to Rome with orders to arrest the Pope. According to legend, an assassin sent to the saint suddenly became blind when he approached the saint.
Despite this miracle, Pope Martin was captured in 653. Exhausted by illness and hunger, the elder was put in chains and taken by sea to Constantinople for trial, where false witnesses accused him of treason and relations with the enemies of the empire (the Saracens). The sentence was harsh: defrocking and the death penalty, which was replaced by exile to the distant Taurian Chersonesos (the territory of modern Sevastopol). There, in poverty and deprivation, the saint died on September 16, 655, remaining faithful to Orthodoxy.
Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God Ostrobramskaya (Vilenskaya)
On the same date (April 14, Old style) The Russian Orthodox Church honors one of the most unusual and famous shrines — the Ostrobram Icon of the Mother of God. The main shrine of Vilna (modern Vilnius) is iconographically unique: it depicts the Blessed Virgin without the Christ Child, at the moment of humble acceptance of the Good News (Annunciation). Her arms are folded crosswise on her chest, and her face shines in the rays of a double halo.
The history of the image is full of mysteries. According to legend, the icon was brought from Chersonesos (Korsun) by Grand Duke Algirdas of Lithuania after a victorious campaign against the Crimean Tatars in the middle of the 14th century. For a long time, the image was in the Holy Trinity Monastery, but after the construction of the city fortifications and the Sharp (from the word "sharp end" - the area of the city) gates, the icon was placed in the chapel above the passage tower, where it remains to this day, becoming known as Ostrobramskaya ("Ostrobram").
The icon became famous for numerous miracles in the 17th and 18th centuries: through prayers before the image, the Virgin Mary protected the city from the Swedes, put out a fire in the church and resurrected a child who had fallen from a great height.
Prayers on April 27
They pray to Saint Martin I the Confessor for firmness in faith, for protection from false teachings, and for help in trials. Believers make specific daily requests to the Icon of the Theotokos of Ostrobram. They pray to her for the protection of the house from thieves and natural disasters, for the admonition of enemies and non-believers, as well as for the gift of peace in the family. Especially often, before this image, they ask for healing from serious ailments, both mental and physical, and lonely people come to ask for the gift of pious life partners.
Prayer to Martin I the Confessor
"O most honorable and sacred head and full of the grace of the Holy Spirit, dwelling of the Savior with the Father, great bishop, our warm intercessor, to Saint Martin, standing at the Throne of all Kings and enjoying the light of the consubstantial Trinity and cherubic angels, proclaiming the trisagion hymn, and having great and unexplored boldness towards the all-merciful Master, pray for the salvation of the flock of Christ by the people Confirm the well-being of the holy churches: bishops, adorn the monks with the splendor of holiness, strengthen the monks for the feat of the good current, preserve the reigning city and all cities and countries with goodness, and keep the holy immaculate faith, pacify the whole world through your intercession, deliver us from gladness and destruction, and preserve us from the attacks of foreigners, comfort the old, guide the young, Be wise to be mad, have mercy on widows, intercede for orphans, raise up infants, bring back captives, free those who are weak and pray to you from all adversity and trouble through your intercession: pray for us to the All-merciful and Loving Christ our God, that on the day of His Terrible Coming He may deliver us from our suffering, and grant us the joys of the saints with all the saints in forever and ever. Amen to that."
Prayer to the Icon of the Mother of God of Ostrobram
"O Mother of our Lord the Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity. Accept our unworthy prayer and keep us in the purity of our souls, keep us from the slander of evil men and from sudden death, and grant us repentance before the end. Have mercy on us in the daytime, both morning and evening, and keep us at all times: keep us standing and sitting, and keep us on every path, and provide, cover, and intercede for those who sleep at night. In every place and at every time, O Most Gracious Mother, give us an invincible wall and a strong intercession. You, the guardian of all life, have appeared to us, O Most Pure One; You deliver us from demons at the hour of death; You, even after death, ask Your Son and our God for rest. Amen to that."
Earlier, Izvestia told what they pray to St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
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