The priest explained the healthfulness of honey consecrated on August 14

The tradition of consecrating honey for the Honey Savior in Orthodox practice is associated with the religious understanding of gratitude for the harvest and conversion to God in the daily lives of believers. This was announced by Priest Ilya Savastyanov in an interview with Izvestia.

The consecration of honey reflects the general attitude of Christians towards work and its results, in which each fruit received is perceived as a gift requiring a prayer of thanksgiving.

"The tradition of consecrating honey is connected with the fact that Christians rely on God in every action, therefore, after receiving the harvest, they thank God for it. And they ask God in prayer to bless the honey they have brought," the priest noted.

On the day of the Honey Savior, believers bring new harvest honey to churches, which is considered the main symbol of the holiday and, according to popular belief, acquires special spiritual and healing significance after the prayer blessing.

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In Orthodox and folk practice, it is believed that from this day on it is allowed to taste fresh honey, and its consecration itself becomes an important part of thanksgiving for the harvest. Beekeepers traditionally bring the first honeycombs to the temple, some of the products are left as donations, and the remaining honey is used to treat loved ones and help those in need. Such a custom is associated with the Old Testament idea of the need to bring the first fruits of the harvest to God, which symbolizes gratitude, mercy and recognition of the divine source of benefits.

In addition to honey, on this day, poppies are consecrated in temples, which is also considered a significant symbol of the holiday and is associated with the national memory of the seven Maccabean martyrs. Believers bring poppy heads, as well as bouquets of medicinal herbs, including oregano, St. John's wort, thyme, mint, nettle and wormwood. Consecrated plants are traditionally kept at home and used in everyday life and folk medicine if necessary.

On August 14, Orthodox believers celebrate Honey Savior, an ancient holiday that opens a series of summer Rescues and marks the beginning of the Dormition Fast. It was believed that it was by this time that honey ripens in the hives to full readiness.