The priest spoke about the main mistakes in understanding the essence of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

In folk tradition, the Transfiguration of the Lord is often called the Apple Savior and is associated with the consecration of fruits. However, it is unacceptable to perceive the holiday only as a day when apples need to be consecrated, ignoring participation in worship and communion. The dean of the Baltai district of the Saratov Diocese, Priest Oleg Zhilyakov, told Izvestia about this on June 16.

The priest noted that one of the most common mistakes is to shift the focus from the spiritual meaning of the holiday to everyday traditions.

"From the point of view of the Church, the Transfiguration of the Lord is dedicated to the manifestation of the Divine nature of Christ on Mount Tabor. We celebrate the triumph of the transfiguration of the Lord and the transfiguration of man, who, as he is cleansed from sin, approaches God," said the priest.

He also refuted the widespread opinion about the ban on eating apples of the new harvest before the Apple Savior and working on a holiday.

"The fact that you can not eat apples before the Apple Savior and work on this day is perhaps the most common misconceptions that I encounter among parishioners. But if you have worked, and then you have come to the temple, paid homage to God — that is, you have fulfilled the main thing — you can continue to work. We only refrain from doing unnecessary things, but necessary things can be done," he explained.

Speaking about how to properly celebrate the holiday, the priest noted that the most important thing for an Orthodox Christian is to participate in divine services and communion. In addition, he advised to pay more attention to family and loved ones.

"I would advise everyone to visit the church, take communion and, if possible, gather with their relatives, remember some good moments from their lives. Because the closer we are to each other, the closer we are to the Lord, because we are transformed through love for our neighbor," he said.

The priest emphasized that the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord serves as a reminder of man's supreme destiny. Distortions related to everyday traditions and omens, according to him, do not negate the depth of this day, but they can lead away from its main meaning.

Read more in the Izvestia article:

The Transfiguration of the Lord — 2026: why this miracle is considered one of the most mysterious events of the Gospel.