Golovosek (holiday): history, traditions, folk signs

The truncation of the head of the Prophet John is celebratedThe Russian Orthodox Church on September 11. In the people this day is called Golovosek. The feast is one of the greatest in Orthodoxy. On this day, a strict one-day fast is to be observed. People believed that when Golovosek came, autumn began, so all Orthodox people did not work on this holiday for the sake of their relatives and cattle. Also on this day, people did not go to the forest, it was believed that snakes and evil spirits there are looking for their homes. What is this day, let's understand.

The day of deprivation of St. John's head

The truncation (Golovosek) is considered one of the mostdangerous and terrible dates, so people were very afraid to plow the land, sow, go on a long journey, and celebrate any celebrations. On this day it was forbidden to eat something that would remind of a head, a sword, blood, cutting off. It was impossible to put on the table round plates, dishes. This is due to the fact that it was on the dish that the head of the Forerunner was fed to Herod. People did not dare to eat fruits and vegetables of round shape (potatoes, cabbage, turnips, onions, apples, etc.). Cutting was also strictly forbidden on this holiday. It was believed that the sickle, knife, ax, braid could not be taken in hand. What is the story of praise Golovosek, let's understand!

History

Итак, всё началось с того, что у галилеиского the ruler of Herod was a wife. She was the daughter of the king of Arabia Arefy. But soon Herod betrayed her and went to another woman named Herodias. The queen wished with all her heart to take revenge on him. Herodias was the wife of Herod's blood brother. John watched this vicious connection and repeatedly pointed to the ruler. Herod did not want to listen, but did not dare punish him for this, since John was appreciated and respected by all the people.

On Herod's birthday, a rich feast was held,which along with the guests vyplyasyvala young girl named Salome. She was the daughter of his mistress Herodias. Salome liked Herod so much that he ordered her to ask for everything that she wanted. The girl asked for advice from her mother. Herodias ordered her daughter to ask for the head of St. John on a platter. Having learned this, Herod was upset, because he was very afraid of the wrath of God. But a promise is a promise. Later the request was carried out, the Prophet was beheaded and brought to Salome on a platter.

As the legend goes, the head kept scoldingruler and his concubine for their relationship. For this, Herodias took her, pierced her tongue with a needle and buried it in the ground. The wife of the royal key-keeper saw all this and secretly dug up the head of the Saint. John (as the key-keeper's wife was called) placed her in a vessel and buried on the Mount of Olives near Herod's estate. The body of the Holy Baptist was buried by his disciples.

Punishment

After some time, all the villains collapsedGod's punishment. Salome fell through the ice while traveling along the river Sikoris. The ice floe decapitated her, but the body was never found. The head of Salome was brought to Herodias and Herod as it was done with John. Herod suffered a defeat when Aref (the king of Arabia) moved his troops against him. After this, Herod and Herodias were exiled to Spain, where they died in poverty and shame.

Через множество лет Голова Иоанна досталась Innocent grandee during the construction of the church. He learned about the shrine, because signs and miracles were constantly emanating from it. Before his death, Innocent was afraid that the shrine would be stolen, and hid it in the same place.

After some time, John came in a dream to twonovices of the Jerusalem church and pointed to the burial place of his head. They dug up the shrine, put it in a bag and went home. On the way, they were met by a potter, who agreed to carry a precious burden. At night, John came to him in a dream and asked him to run away from the novices along with the shrine.

In the potter’s family, the head was transferred fromgeneration after generation, and, finally, fell into the hands of cruel and power-hungry Eustathius. He used the power from the head and deceived many innocent people. After a while, his lies were revealed to everyone, and Eustathius fled the city in shame and humiliation, buried his head in a cave. He really hoped that after a while he could pick her up again. But this did not happen, the Lord guarded the shrine. Pious hermits settled there and built a monastery on this site. In 452, John, a servant of the monastery, Marcella came in a dream and pointed to the burial place of the head. The shrine was moved to Emensa, then to Constantinople. This is how Ivan Golovosek came to the Orthodox.

Day of the second and third acquisition of the head

Feast of the second acquisition of the head of John inThe Orthodox Church is celebrated on February 24th. For the third time, the shrine was purchased by Patriarch Ignatius, who transferred his head to the church. At the moment, part of the shrine is stored in Rome, and the other - in France. The third acquisition is celebrated on the Julian calendar on May 25, this day is also a lean.

Holiday Golovosek. Traditions and folk signs

People say that nothing is impossible on this day.to cut, and then the scarlet blood will flow, so Golovosek is a holiday, on which they did not cook borscht and, moreover, did not eat, this was a great sin for the peasants. It was allowed to eat all the lean or not eat anything at all. Bread could not be cut, only break.

Golovosek is included in the main holidays and customsof the Ukrainian people, it is often called Ivan the Fast. It was impossible to dance or sing, since it was after the fun that an agreement was reached on decapitating John the Prelate. Everyone who wanted to go to church and pray for their health.

On the eve of the holiday, peasants according to folk traditionmade a clay headless doll. In the evening, on the day of Golovosek, two girls took a scarecrow and carried it to the river. After that, all those who gathered should mourn him as his own deceased. After that, the doll was taken and thrown into the river. This personified John the Baptist.

On this day, it was decided to distribute food to the poor, needy and wanderers.

Golovosek is also a holiday in which the peasants remembered those who died in the war and prayed for the soldiers, since it was believed that their deaths are very similar to the unfair departure of the Prophet.

Signs

People said that a child born on this holiday would be unhappy all his life.

It was believed that if a person gets hurt on this day - the wound will never heal.

Belarussian beliefs said that the spots on the moon signify the head of John.

Representatives of the weaker sex on this day could not be eaten.

For men

A headache is a holiday in which men are forbidden to shave and cut their hair. Also, it was undesirable for them to look in the mirror on that day, take up their heads and touch rounded objects.

Observe all the traditions and omens on the feast of the Beheading of John, and the Lord will certainly protect you.