Folk signs for May 10: what can and cannot be done
In Russia, omens have long been given special importance. 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 10 and the church holidays that fall on this date.
Folk signs for May 10
According to the national calendar, May 10 is the day of the Seed of the Ranopower. In Russia, it was believed that at this time the earth was finally awakening from its winter sleep and ready to receive seeds, so peasants everywhere began early plowing. In the central and northern provinces, this work was especially important, since every fine hour brought the future harvest closer. There was a belief that before that day the earth should not be disturbed, but with the onset of the Seed of the Early Plough, the field siege entered into full force. The peasants said: "Semenov feeds me all year round."
In the old days, May 10 was a day of strict and important rituals associated with the beginning of plowing. The whole family gathered in the upper room, lit candles and prayed for good plowing, and the sons, who were about to go out into the field, bowed at their parents' feet, asking for blessings. The first trip to the arable land was accompanied by special rituals designed to appease the land.
In some places, magi and healers went out into the field, lay down on the grass to "listen to the earth," and cast spells to the four cardinal directions, asking them to protect the fields from evil spirits and bad weather. The main agricultural precept of the day was not to be lazy: "Don't be lazy with a plow, you'll have a pie," the old men taught. They also believed that the earth, "opened" by the plow, releases various evil spirits that seek to get into the dwelling, therefore, returning from the field, the peasants walked "backwards" and tried once again not to open the doors and windows.
On May 10, special attention was paid to weather signs, because the success of the sowing campaign depended on them. The ancestors noticed that if it is cold during the flowering of the gardens, the rye harvest time will be just as cold and rainy. But the heavy rain on this day was a good sign — it was believed that it portends a rich harvest of rye. The behavior of insects was also monitored: if the butterflies began to seek refuge in the house or in the barn, they expected an early cold snap and strong winds.
Other signs of the day:
- Clouds are moving fast across the sky, leading to a prolonged storm;
- A clear and bright sunrise leads to a windy summer;
- Fog is spreading in the lowlands in the evening, leading to warm and clear weather in the coming days.;
- A high rainbow appeared in the afternoon — there will be no rain, and if the rainbow is low and gentle, there will be a downpour.;
- birch blossomed its leaves earlier than alder and maple — for a dry and sunny summer;
- A crimson-red dawn at sunset leads to a sudden change in the weather.
What not to do on May 10
On the day of the Seed of the Ranopower, there were strict prohibitions, the violation of which, according to beliefs, could bring trouble to the whole family. For example, it was impossible to work with sharp tools, as this promised a meeting with a blood enemy or a serious quarrel. Our ancestors were also afraid to let strangers and stray animals into the house, believing that evil spirits could enter the open ground with them.
- holding a grudge against loved ones and quarreling — reconciliation will be very difficult, and poverty awaits the culprit.;
- cooking or eating baked goods with cabbage — there will be no money in the house, or someone will cheat on a large sum.;
- to sing songs loudly — the violator will condemn himself to a hungry year;
- fixing shoes or clothes is a disaster for those who are going on the road.;
- watering indoor flowers will lead to a long separation from your loved one;
- watching someone else fight — soon you'll have to fight yourself.
What is the church holiday on May 10th?
On May 10, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of several great saints, whose destinies have become an example of indestructible faith. The main one is the Apostle from 70 and the holy Martyr Simeon, a kinsman of the Lord, Bishop of Jerusalem. He was the son of Cleopas, the brother of Saint Joseph the Betrothed, which made him the cousin of Jesus Christ himself. After seeing the Savior and believing in Him, Simeon became one of the most zealous preachers of Christianity. After the martyrdom of the first bishop of Jerusalem, the Apostle James, Simeon was elected in his place and for 40 long years wisely governed the church in the holy city.
Saint Simeon witnessed the terrible devastation of Jerusalem by the Roman troops of Emperor Titus. Having narrowly escaped death along with other Christians, he returned to the destroyed city to support his flock and continue preaching. When the persecution began under Emperor Trajan, the Romans, remembering the origin of the saint from the family of King David, began to search diligently for him. The captured 120-year-old elder, despite his advanced age, was tortured for a long time and cruelly, trying to force him to renounce Christ, but Saint Simeon remained firm in his faith. As a result, he was crucified on the cross.
Also on May 10, the faithful remember St. Stephen, Abbot of the Caves and Bishop of Vladimir-Volyn. From a young age, he labored in the famous Kiev Caves Lavra under the guidance of St. Theodosius, who appointed him his successor before his death. St. Stephen completed the magnificent cathedral church in honor of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, which became the symbol and heart of the Lavra. However, his pious labors aroused the envy of the enemy of the human race, and because of the machinations of some brothers, he was unjustly expelled from the monastery, which he himself had equipped.
With the deepest humility, St. Stephen accepted this sorrow, praying for his persecutors, and soon founded a new monastery in honor of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God, where numerous disciples flocked to him. For his great labors and virtues, he was elevated to the rank of bishop of Vladimir-Volyn, where for three more years he served as an example of mercy and meekness for his flock.
Prayers on May 10th
Believers turn to these saints with various requests. They pray to the Holy Martyr Simeon for the gift of firmness in faith, for patience in tribulation and persecution. St. Stephen, who built and revived monasteries himself, prays for help in difficult endeavors and construction, as well as for the gift of humility and meekness for reconciliation with enemies.
Prayer to the Holy Martyr Simeon
"We sacredly praise you, a kinsman of Christ, Simeon the hierarch, and a martyr of firmness, who consumed the charm and kept the faith. Moreover, today we celebrate your all-holy memory, and the resolution of sin through your prayers is acceptable. For I have prevailed over the star, the Church, which today possesses the Most Gracious Simeon, is guided by light, calling: Hail, venerable martyr."
Prayer to St. Stephen of the Caves
"O holy head, Venerable Father, Most Blessed Abba Stephen, do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you have saved yourself, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy Father, for your spiritual children, for you have Boldness to the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for you have been given the grace to pray for us. We don't think you're dead.: For though you have passed away from us in body, but you are still alive after death, do not depart from us in spirit, preserving us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of demons and the machinations of the devil, our good shepherd. For even though your relics of cancer are always visible before our eyes, your holy soul, with angelic hosts, fleshless faces, and heavenly powers, stands at the throne of the Almighty, rejoicing worthily, leading you in truth and being alive after death, we fall down and pray to you: pray for us to Almighty God, for For the benefit of our souls, and grant us time for repentance, so that we may safely pass from earth to heaven, and may we be delivered from bitter ordeals, demons of the air, and eternal torment, and may we be heiresses of the heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous who have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ from the beginning.: To Him belongs all glory, honor, and worship, together with His Beginningless Father, and with His All-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen to that."
Earlier, Izvestia told what they pray to the holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark.
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