Folk signs for May 14th: 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 May 14 and what church holidays are celebrated on this day.
Folk signs for May 14th
In Russia, on May 14, the national holiday Yeremey Zapryagalnik, or Yerema Zapashnik, was celebrated. It fell during an important period of the agricultural year, when the peasants completed the main arable work and moved on to sowing spring crops.
It was believed that procrastination after this day could negatively affect the future harvest. Therefore, by May 14, we tried to complete all the preparatory work and go out into the field. People used to say about this: "This week after Yegorya and the other after Yeremey," "A lazy plough goes out into the field on Yeremey," emphasizing that by this day even the most leisurely owners had to get involved in the work.
According to beliefs, everything sown on Yeremin's day will surely give strong and friendly shoots. Therefore, the peasants tried not only to enter the field on time, but also to observe certain customs. They started the work with prayer, and during the day they avoided quarrels, swearing and bad thoughts. It was believed that the earth feels a person's attitude and responds to it.
Special attention was paid to the weather, carefully observing any changes in nature. A clear and warm day was perceived as a good sign: it promised a good harvest and easy harvesting of bread in the fall. If the day was stormy, they prepared for a hard winter. These observations have become entrenched in folk sayings and proverbs: "If it's nice on Yeremey, then harvesting bread is nice," "Bad weather on Yeremey — you'll miss the whole winter."
Other signs of the day:
- lots of dew in the morning — for clear weather in the coming days;
- Birds fly low to the rain;
- Thunder is thundering — the summer will be fertile;
- Clouds are moving fast across the sky, leading to a change in the weather;
- ants are actively building an anthill for the warm summer.
What not to do on May 14th
Not only labor traditions, but also certain prohibitions were associated with the Yerem Zapashnik holiday. Our ancestors believed that violating these rules could lead to failure and "ruin" future crops. For example, it was not recommended to work in the field in old or dirty clothes. This was perceived as disrespectful to the earth. It was also forbidden to treat horses roughly, which were the main helpers of the peasants. It was believed that the horse could "get stubborn" and go down the drain all day.
What else can not be done on May 14:
- to be lazy and postpone work — you can miss a good time for sowing;
- lending grain or bread leads to losses in the household;
- to start business in a bad mood — the work will be in vain.;
- leaving the land uncultivated leads to a poor harvest;
- complaining about fate leads to protracted failures.
What is the church holiday on May 14th?
On May 14 (May 1, Old Style), the Orthodox Church honors the memory of one of the four greatest Old Testament prophets, Jeremiah. He lived almost 600 years before the Birth of Christ and was called by the Lord to serve in his youth. According to legend, the prophet himself at first doubted his abilities, citing his youth and inability to speak. However, the Lord strengthened his spirit by touching his mouth and saying, "Behold, I put My words in your mouth."
From that moment on, Jeremiah assumed the difficult mission of proclaiming the will of God to people and warning them of future trials. The prophet served for more than 20 years. He rebuked the Jews for idolatry, and tirelessly called on the people to repent. It is he who is credited with prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity, which later came true. After the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC, Jeremiah remained among the ruins of the city and mourned its fate in the book "Lamentation of Jeremiah".
In addition, Jeremiah was announcing the coming New Testament. This prophecy has become one of the key ones in the Old Testament and has deep significance for both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Throughout his life, the prophet was persecuted, imprisoned, and beaten. He was later forcibly taken to Egypt, where he was martyred.
On the same day, the church honors the memory of the Blessed Tamara, Queen of Georgia. She lived in the 12th–13th centuries and went down in history as a wise ruler and defender of the Christian faith. She paid special attention to charity: she helped widows and orphans, supported those in need, and generously donated to church needs. On her initiative, temples and monasteries were built, which became centers of spiritual and cultural life.
Tamara's reign is considered the pinnacle of Georgia's "Golden Age." Under her leadership, the country flourished, state institutions were strengthened, culture, literature and architecture actively developed, and Georgia itself became one of the strongest states in the region. For her services, the tsarina was canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Prayers on May 14th
The Prophet Jeremiah is addressed with prayers for help in difficult life situations, strengthening faith and guidance on the right path. Saint Tamara is asked for wisdom, family protection, and well-being in business. She is also asked for support in managing and making important decisions. In addition, in the Caucasus, Queen Tamara has long been revered as a healer of incurable ailments and the patroness of the underprivileged.
Prayer to the Prophet Jeremiah
Troparion, glas 2
"O Lord, we celebrate the memory of Your Prophet Jeremiah, and we beseech You: save our souls."
Kontakion, glas 3
"Having cleansed by the spirit, great prophet and martyr, your radiant heart, glorious Jeremiah, you accepted the gift of prophecy from above and cried out loudly in all countries: This is our God, and no one will be added to Him, Who, incarnate, appeared on earth."
Prayer to Saint Tamara, Queen of Georgia
"Oh, holy great and blessed Queen Tamaro! We sinners and humblers, as we fervently resort to a warm protector and a speedy helper, asking for help and intercession in the abyss of troubles that are plunging into us every day and hour from evil people who happen to us and are possessed by various diseases, so that through your intercession, if you have great boldness to God, pray for us in our sorrows and needs and save us from all enemies, visible and invisible, and above all from demonic machinations and tricks, brazen attacks and flattering approaches, so that we may not be mocked and ridiculed by them, and with your strong help drive them away from us, just as you drove them away from the land of the Iverns and establish true love for God in our hearts. and do it worthily. When it comes time for us to depart from this temporary life and migrate to eternity, come quickly to help us, and free us from the violence of the enemy, for you have eternal life, and lead our hearts to true repentance, so that we may stand before the Most Holy Trinity with unclean lips and a clear conscience, glorifying and singing, with all the saints in endless the eyelids. Amen to that."
Earlier, Izvestia told which saints are remembered on the feast of James the Warm.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
