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The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord has no fixed date and is celebrated every year on the 40th day after Easter. In 2023, it falls on May 25th. We will tell about the Ascension signs and customs that our ancestors have long followed.
The history of folk signs for the Ascension
Ascension of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ – this is the full name of the holiday. It is included in the list of the twelve Twelfth – the most important days in Orthodoxy. According to the Gospel, after his resurrection, Christ spent exactly 40 days on earth. In the last of them, he gathered his disciples on Mount Olivet, which is not far from Jerusalem, where he delivered the last sermon, gave his blessing, and ascended to heaven in the flesh, hiding behind the clouds.
Folk signs of this day include everyday beliefs, and church recommendations, and even pagan rites. Customs originated a long time ago and have come down to our days not so much as instructions for action, but as elements of folklore and folk traditions. Some of them continue to be followed out of habit, others have long been forgotten. We list the most famous folk signs for the Ascension of the Lord.
What can you do on Ascension?
- Believers on this day certainly try to visit the church. On Ascension in all churches, festive services are held, culminating in the solemn removal of the Shroud – a fabric with the face of Christ depicted on it.
- It is believed that on Ascension, summer finally comes into its own, coming to the place of spring. After this holiday, there were no more frosts, so in Our Country they believed that from the fortieth day after Easter, you can start swimming in rivers and lakes. Also, with the advent of summer, rites and rituals dedicated to the harvest were associated – for example, special round dances-spikelets, designed to appease the mother earth.
- On this day, it is customary to cook special pastries – pies or buns in the form of stairs, or decorate ready-made pies with pieces of dough laid out in the form of crossbars. Such ladders are a symbol of the Ascension, there should be seven crossbars on them, according to the number of heavens of the apocalypse.
- Since Ascension always falls on a Thursday, this holiday never falls on a fast day. On the festive table there can be meat, and fish, and milk, and even alcohol – but in moderation. The main decoration of the meal is a festive cake with a staircase depicted on it.
- On Ascension, it is customary to help others in memory of the fact that Jesus, after his resurrection, wandered the earth in the form of a beggar wanderer. A holiday is a great occasion to make a donation or become a philanthropist.
What not to do on Ascension
- On major church holidays, there is a ban on domestic work. Cleaning and laundry should be postponed. The house must be put in order in advance in order to meet the Ascension clean, but in no case should you clean up on a holiday – sweep the dust, take out the trash. All of these are considered bad omens.
- You can not swear, slander and be sad. Ascension is a joyful holiday for any believer, therefore, if you consider yourself one of those, you should work on your emotions. Try to get rid of everything negative that burdens your soul, clear your thoughts and devote the day to bright thoughts and good deeds.
- Do not greet each other with the words “Christ is risen!”. Such a greeting is allowed only on Easter and for 40 days after it, and Ascension is the first day after the Easter period.
weather signs
- Rain and thunderstorm on Ascension – to a bad harvest and ailments.
- Good weather on this day – vegetables, fruits and cereals will be born.
- If dew appears in the morning, you should walk on it barefoot to get rid of diseases.
- Ascension rain – to thunderous Ilya (August 2).