On Sunday, June 16, Orthodox Christians celebrate Trinity, which is also called Pentecost, as it is celebrated on the 50th day after Easter.
The holiday is based on the biblical story of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the disclosure of the truth of the existence of the Triune God – the Holy Trinity.
Trinity is celebrated for three days: Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, during which prayers are read in churches and the dead ancestors are commemorated, and the priests wear green robes on this day. And this is no coincidence: in the folk tradition, greens symbolize life.
The first day of Trinity – Green Sunday – is considered by the people as a day of activity and deceit of mermaids and other mythical evil spirits. Specially to protect them from them, houses are decorated with fresh branches of maple, birch, willow, linden, flowers, as well as aromatic herbs – calamus, mint, lemon balm, thyme, cornflowers.
In the morning, it is customary to visit the temple and after the service to consecrate the herbs and flowers prepared in advance. Flowers can be scattered around the garden and field for a better harvest. Some of the consecrated herbs are hidden under the roof of the house for protection from evil, some are dried to prepare medicinal decoctions.
For this holiday, women bake pies, prepare meat and fish snacks. In some regions, eggs are painted green on this day.
The second day of the holiday is called Klechalny Monday: after the service, the priests went to the fields to read prayers asking God for a blessing for the future harvest.
The third – Bogodukhov day – was intended for the guys to choose their brides.
The people considered it a bad omen to play weddings on the Trinity, but this day is suitable for matchmaking and “collusion”. It was believed that the family agreed on Trinity would have a long and happy life together.
On this day, you cannot work in the field, in the yard and in the garden. Women are not advised to sew or cook. Also, they did not swim on Trinity, since it was considered a mermaid time.
They believed that the dew that fell on Trinity was very beneficial to health. Girls are advised to wash with it in order to preserve youth and beauty. Rain on this day promises a good harvest, warm and mushroom summer.
It is customary to guess on Trinity. The most common fortune-telling was associated with throwing wreaths over the water, which girls wove from greenery, flowers or birch branches. Then they walked to the river. There they bowed their heads and threw the wreath into the water. According to the movement of the wreath, they made plans for the future and for the betrothed. It was believed that if the wreath floats well and calmly, everything will be fine with its owner this year. If the wreath floats under water or drowned, the girl should have feared illness, death of loved ones or other troubles. If the wreath unraveled, it promised parting with a loved one. The wreath quickly sailed away – it means that the groom will be from distant lands, and if the wreath got stuck near the shore, it was not possible to wait until the next Trinity of the matchmakers.
And if a guy kisses a girl on Trinity under a birch tree, the girl should be his wife!