Who is the Holy Great Martyr Dmitry Solunsky: life and miracles

In early November, Orthodox Christians honor the memory of the Great Martyr Dmitry Solunsky. The holiday, established in honor of the saint, is associated with many folk traditions and prohibitions that have been preserved since the time of Ancient Russia. The history and traditions of the holiday are in the material of Izvestia.

Who is Dmitry Solunsky: a biography

The Great Martyr Demetrius (Dmitry) Solunsky is one of the most revered figures of the Christian East, whose memory has been revered since the early centuries of Christianity.

According to church lives, he was born in Thessaloniki (Thessalonica) in the 3rd century in the family of a Roman proconsul. The parents, according to legend, were secret Christians and baptized their son in the house community.

After his father's death, young Dimitri was called to the same post — proconsul or governor in the region — and, despite his official position, openly professed Christianity and preached the faith in the city, for which he was persecuted by the authorities.

According to one of the folk legends, after the lifting of the siege of the city, all the grain supplies in Thessalonica were destroyed, and famine began. According to the stories, the saint appeared on ships to various ports and islands, ordered ships with wheat to sail to Soluni to provide the city with food.

When the persecution began under the Roman emperor, Demetrius was arrested, and he suffered a martyr's death: soldiers pierced him with spears in an underground prison, and his body was thrown to the beasts, but Christians secretly buried the relics of the saint.

Over time, a temple was erected over his grave, which, according to legend, housed the myrrh-streaming and incorruptible relics of the great martyr, which further strengthened his status in the history of Christianity and attracted pilgrims.

When is Dmitry Solunsky Memorial Day?

Every year on November 8, Christians of the Eastern Rite celebrate Dmitry Solunsky Memorial Day. It is connected not only with the date of the martyr's death, but also with the cultural and ritual calendar of the Slavic peoples.

St. Dmitry's Day among the eastern and southern Slavs historically acted as an important autumn date, symbolizing the boundary between the warm and cold seasons and the completion of a number of agricultural and family affairs.

In some local traditions, there are additional commemorations and local venerations, as well as a separate commemoration in connection with the "finding" and miracles associated with his icons and relics, which is sometimes celebrated on other dates.

What not to do on Dmitry Solunsky Memorial Day

Folk beliefs and local customs associated with St. Dmitry's Day include a number of taboos and prohibitions, which include modern popular publications about holiday prohibitions. The list of bans varies from region to region, but common motives can be identified.

Firstly, this day was traditionally considered a time of commemoration of the deceased: commemorations and memorial meals were held in homes and in churches, therefore noisy festivities, wedding celebrations and entertainment on St. Dmitry's Day were considered inappropriate.

Secondly, household bans are related to water and textile work: in some regions, it was not recommended to wash, wash clothes, wash dishes, take a bath or carry out other water procedures — it was believed that dirty water could harm the souls of the dead or cause illness.

Household prohibitions also applied to spinning, weaving, sewing and cutting cloth — work with threads and linen on this day was considered undesirable, which refers to pre-Christian and Christian ideas about the turning points of the year, when certain domestic crafts stopped.

In some regions, they did not borrow or lend money, avoided large monetary transactions, did not start heavy physical work and did not graze cattle: some beliefs associated Dmitriev's day with a danger to livestock (in particular, with an attack by wolves). At the same time, modern church practice does not translate all these popular prohibitions into the category of dogmas; most parishes emphasize that the primary task of believers on this day is prayer, commemoration of the dead and attendance of divine services.