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The week before Easter is called Holy Week. Each of her days is filled with a special meaning, each one is associated with biblical stories and ancient legends.
All days of this week are called great, but some have their own, “folk” names. Thursday, for example, was nicknamed “Pure” because it is the last day before Easter, when you can put things in order in your home, and Saturday – “Quiet”, because at this time there is a lull before the main Christian holiday.
The six pre-Easter days are accompanied by signs describing what can and cannot be done during Holy Week.
The history of folk signs for Holy Week
Folk omens for Holy Week help believers prepare for Easter. Superstitions, as a rule, are associated with church prohibitions relating to different areas of life during this period. We talked with the parishioners of churches and found out what signs they pay attention to on each day of the week.
Signs on Good Monday
The beginning of Holy Week falls on household chores. Until Thursday, believers put things in order in their homes. On Monday, it is customary to prepare a week’s supply of firewood and animal feed so as not to be distracted by this during the holidays. Also, this day is traditionally devoted to fixing broken things and sorting out the rubbish accumulated over the year – everything superfluous is thrown away to make room in life for something new. Particular attention is paid to washing windows – it is considered a bad omen to celebrate Easter with dirty windows.
After cleaning the inside of the dwelling, they took care of the yard and garden. They believed that the plants planted on Great Monday would give a rich harvest. The weather also hinted at the latter: if the sky is clear and the sun is clear, then shoots will quickly appear this year.
Signs on Maundy Tuesday
The second day of Holy Week is traditionally devoted to clothing: washing, darning, sewing. It’s time to sort out the closet and get rid of things that you no longer plan to wear: they can be donated to charities or recycled. Having emptied the closet, you can go shopping – it is believed that the clothes purchased on Maundy Tuesday will last a long time.
On this day, it is customary to start planning the Easter feast and purchase all the products for it. Doing this before Tuesday is bad luck. A tablecloth was prepared for the Sunday table – it should be snow-white and perfectly clean. They believed that whoever meets Easter with a dirty tablecloth will face failure for a whole year.
One of the Tuesday traditions was also the preparation of herbal preparations and infusions. They collected all the herbs that remained after the winter, and prepared teas and decoctions from them. It was important that only female hostesses had to do this. Men were forbidden to interfere in this process in any way, they were invited to try a ready-made drink.
Particular attention was paid to the weather. Rain – for the harvest of mushrooms, and if the weather is clear – wheat will be well harvested.
Signs on Great Wednesday
Household chores continue in the middle of Holy Week. Wednesday is the eve of Maundy Thursday, on this day they started the general cleaning of the house, completed it the next day. No wonder: washing and cleaning an entire house from floor to ceiling in one day is difficult, especially if you do not forget about other things. All products for Bright Sunday have already been bought on Tuesday, but it is customary to choose Easter eggs on Wednesday. It is believed that eggs bought on this day remain fresh longer. However, you should still pay attention to expiration dates before buying.
On this day, Thursday soap was prepared. A bar of soap was taken out into the street and left on the threshold, and the next day, before bathing, they were taken away. Water on Maundy Thursday is believed to be healing in itself, and washing with such soap allows you to get rid of damage and the evil eye.
Signs on Maundy Thursday
As the name implies, Maundy Thursday was entirely devoted to purification – physical and spiritual. It is considered a good omen to get up and take a good bath early in the morning, before dawn, and then get down to business. The fourth day of Holy Week is the last day when physical labor is allowed before Easter. It is customary to finish cleaning the house, take a bath, and devote free time to the purification of thoughts. It was necessary to take out all the rubbish from the house, so that next year it would not be weighed down by the load of old problems. Another sign is associated with beauty. It was believed that if you wash yourself early in the morning with cold water from silver dishes, you will maintain health, youth and attractiveness.
On Thursday, it was customary to start preparing Easter cakes. They kneaded the dough, baked the first Easter cake, but did not try it – fasting. Instead, they looked at how the cake turned out. If ruddy – fortunately and good luck, burnt – expect trouble.
Signs on Good Friday
Good Friday is a day filled with bitterness and sorrow, when believers around the world honor the sacrifice of Christ crucified on Calvary for our sins.
This day is usually spent in silence and reflection. Noisy parties and holidays are disrespect for the sacrifice of Christ, it is believed that trouble awaits the participants in such gatherings. Any physical labor is forbidden, except for what is associated with the preparation of the Easter table – it is on Friday that it is customary to bake Easter cakes and bread and paint eggs. It is believed that pastries cooked on this day will be soft and fresh for a long time.
Friday’s weather was also used to judge the future. According to beliefs, what kind of weather is on this day, wait for the same in the spring.
Signs on Holy Saturday
The last day of Great Lent is called Quiet – just like on Friday, on Saturday it is not customary to make noise, have fun and quarrel. On this day, it is not advised to borrow and lend money, otherwise you can accidentally give your wealth to someone.
The ban on work around the house and in the garden continues to apply – physical labor is considered a bad omen.
On Saturday, all preparations for the Easter meal are completed so that on Bright Sunday there is no time to waste on cooking. You can decorate the house or go to church to bless Easter cakes, Easter and Thursday salt.
They believed that attending the night service, which begins on Saturday late in the evening, promises a happy life.