The second is called Apple, the third, the last saved - Walnut. Apple Savior is popularly called the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Orthodox believers celebrate it on August 19. MirSovetov will tell you about the traditions and features of this holiday.
Why is Spas called Apple?
Many are dedicated to the Apple Savior folk customs and traditions. But first of all, it is associated with the beginning of autumn, as well as significant changes in nature. This rescue even has one more name - autumn. And in church calendar this day is a holiday. This day is dedicated to the memory of the transfiguration of Christ to his disciples. This event took place on Mount Tabor. Christian and pagan traditions are very interconnected, therefore the Transfiguration of the Lord among the people became better known as the Apple Savior.
This holiday borrowed a lot folk traditions. For example, it got its name because it was at this time that a new crop of grapes was ripening. In those areas where it was not grown, people consecrated apples. Before the onset of the Savior, it was not allowed to eat either apples or any dishes from them. But on the holiday itself, they harvested, consecrated apples in the church, and then broke the fast with them.
One of the main purposes of the Savior has survived to this day - the spiritual transformation of man.
What is another name for the holiday?
Apple Spas has other names. For example, among the people it is also known as the Middle Spas, as it is celebrated between Medov and Orekhov. Due to the fact that on this day the mass harvest of peas began, Apple Spas received another name - “pea”. By the way, sometimes people organized “Pea Day” for this occasion. Also, the people used such names as "autumn" (associated with the arrival of autumn), "the second meeting of autumn."
About the history of the holiday
For the first time, church sources recall the holiday at the beginning of the fourth century. In the Gospel there is a description of the transfiguration of the Lord. It happened on the mountain in the presence of the closest disciples of Christ. During this time, they all prayed intensely.
Orthodox believers celebrate this day on August 19. The place where the Transfiguration took place is called the mountain in Galilee - Tabor. According to the gospel descriptions, Christ went up the mountain with his disciples to pray. At this time, His face shone more than the sun, His clothes became white and shone. The disciples who were with Jesus at that time (James, John and Peter) saw two prophets from the Old Testament. They talked for a long time with the Lord about the Exodus. Christ did not allow his disciples to talk about everything until he was resurrected.
Church significance of the event
For Orthodox Christians, the Transfiguration refers to the Twelve Feasts. Prayers are held in all churches, canons are sung. The clergy wear solemn attire. The holiday is celebrated during the Dormition Fast. According to the charter, the use of fish products of wine and oil is allowed. At the same time, there is a ban on eggs, meat and milk.
folk traditions
Many interesting customs and signs are associated with the apple spas among the people. People sacredly believed in them, so they believed that thanks to them you can stay healthy and get well-being for the whole family.
Traditionally, it is customary to treat people with consecrated apples in memory of all the dead. People believed that the more generously you feed them with delicious fruits, the better the Lord will treat the dead loved ones.
If the parents of the dead children do not eat apples before the holiday, the angels in heaven distribute them. Mothers who have lost their children are blessed on the day of the holiday and take them to the graves.
And the people also believed that on the day of the Savior, apples acquire miraculous power. If you bite off the fruit and at the same time make a wish, it must certainly come true.
People knew one more sign: a hot day came - do not expect snow in winter, rainy weather foreshadowed snowy winter months.
It was believed among the people - if a fly sits twice on this day, a person will be successful throughout the year. Therefore, they said: “Be patient on the Savior, even with flies, so as not to miss your luck!”
A hot season for the villagers began with the Apple Spas. The fruits are harvested for the future: all kinds of preserves and jams are made from apples, they are dried and soaked. And for the holiday itself, the hostesses prepared a lot of dishes, which were then distributed to the poor and sick.
It was from this holiday that the harvest of spring crops began in the fields, as well as the sowing of winter crops. And folk healers at that time were harvesting medicinal herbs. Among the people, these days there were mass festivities.
Love bulk apples - wait for excellent health
It is known that even in the diet of cavemen, apples were constantly present. And these wonderful fruits came to Europe thanks to the Romans. Today, apples are one of the most famous fruits in the world. They can be used both fresh and in the preparation of many dishes. Today, hostesses prepare all kinds of jams from them, make compotes and ciders, bake cakes and pies.
Doctors recommend eating at least one apple a day, as they contain a huge amount of all the substances necessary for a person. In addition, they are very easily absorbed by the body and help maintain excellent health.
What can be prepared from tasty and healthy fruits
Fruit dumplings.
Necessary:
- 200 ml of milk;
- 2 eggs;
- 170 grams of granulated sugar;
- 500 grams of flour;
- 30 grams of butter (butter);
- 300 grams of sour cream;
- 1 kilogram of fresh apples;
- salt.
How to cook:
From milk, flour, one egg, butter, twenty grams of sugar and salt, you need to knead the dough. Apples must be peeled. Remove the core. After that, cut the apples into small pieces, add 150 grams of sugar and a little water. Cook over low heat until the fruits soften, after which the apples need to be cooled.
The dough must be rolled out thinly. Put the filling on each circle cut out of it. Form dumplings.
Boil dumplings in boiling salted water over low heat for about 6-8 minutes.
Can be served with sour cream or any other sauce.
Apple charlotte "Lakomka".
Necessary:
- 2 cups of sugar;
- 3 large apples;
- 2 cups of flour;
- 8 eggs;
- lemon;
- butter.
How to cook:
Wash the apples and cut them into several pieces. Take out the core. Cut the apple pulp even smaller, put in a saucepan and pour over lemon juice. While the mixture is infusing, beat the eggs until foamy. Without stopping, pour sugar in a small stream. Gradually add flour to this mass. Stir carefully.
Grease a baking sheet or baking dish butter and dust lightly with flour. Put the dough on it - apples and the remaining dough.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.
Apple soufflé.
Necessary:
- sugar - 150 grams;
- apples - 250 grams;
- egg whites - 12 pieces;
- butter - 10 grams;
- powdered sugar - 20 grams.
How to cook:
Wash the apples, cut into several pieces and remove the core. Put the fruits on a baking sheet, after adding a little water. Bake until done.
After the apples are cooled, they should be rubbed through a sieve. Add sugar to the apples in a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When the mass becomes viscous and thick, add egg whites to it, whipped into foam.
Grease a baking dish with butter.
Using a confectionery syringe, put the protein-apple mixture into a mold. Bake in the oven at 200°C. Ready soufflé, if desired, can be decorated with powdered sugar.
When will the Honey, Apple and Nut Savior be in 2017. Every year, the Orthodox Church celebrates three Spas - Honey, Apple and Walnut. These holidays are non-transferable, that is, from year to year they are celebrated on the same dates.
When will it be in 2017. Honey Spas Orthodox will celebrate August 14, 2017. This is the first of three Spasov. He is also called the Savior on the Water and Makovey. It is believed that Honey Spas is the end of summer. From this day, preparations for the winter begin. One of the products that is customary to harvest for future use is honey.
On August 14, you need to go to the temple for a service, as well as in order to consecrate fresh honey. After the honey has been consecrated in the temple, it can be eaten.
When will the Apple Savior be in 2017. The Second Spas is Apple. It is also called the Middle or Great. As usual, in 2017 the Orthodox will celebrate Apple Savior August 19. On this day, fresh harvest apples are consecrated in temples. After which they are allowed to eat.
According to tradition, festivities are organized on this day, a variety of treats are prepared from apples. Apple cakes are served to poor people.
When will Nut Savior be in 2017. Third Savior - Walnut. Always noted August 29. Nut Spas is not celebrated by the people as widely as Honey or Apple. This is probably due to the fact that it falls on the peak of the harvest.
On Nut Spas it is also customary to go to church. Freshly harvested nuts and dishes prepared using them are consecrated on this day. On this day, Christians thank God for a rich harvest. It is customary to leave part of the consecrated dishes in the church, and the rest, bringing home, is eaten at a festive family dinner.
The tradition of celebrating the Honey, Apple and Walnut Spas in August originated in antiquity and has survived to this day. Beautiful Spasov to you and a rich harvest!
Apple Savior is always celebrated on August 19th. And on the same day, believers celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord - one of the 12 non-passing church holidays. This day has a lot of traditions and signs. We tell you how it appeared, how it should be celebrated and what you can’t do on this day.
When and why did they start celebrating the Apple Savior?
Apple Spas was celebrated by our ancestors - the Slavs, who dedicated their harvest to the god Spas. Before the Apple Savior in Russia, they did not eat apples. They started with him and eat apples and cook apple jam and different foods.
Why is the Feast of the Apple Savior also called the Transfiguration of the Lord?
Because on August 19, the Church celebrates the Transfiguration of the Lord - one of the 12 imperishable holidays. According to biblical tradition, on this day Jesus called three of his disciples with him to Mount Tabor and began to pray there. And his disciples saw the transfiguration of the Son of the Lord: Jesus' clothes suddenly became white, his face lit up like the sun. Jesus forbade his disciples to talk about this event, but he ordered apples to be picked to bless them.
What to do in Apple Spas?
Believers go to church on this day. Holiday prayers are held in churches.
Many parishioners carry fruit baskets with them, usually apples and grapes. The priest after the service blesses the harvest. By the way, those who could not consecrate honey during the Honey Savior can do it at Apple.
Be sure to eat at least one apple. It is believed that it can improve health.
It was believed that the more generous the alms to the poor on this day, the kinder God would treat the deceased loved ones.
What can not be done in Apple Spas?
Since the Savior falls on the Dormition Fast, believers need to stop eating meat and milk.
You can not eat apples before consecration, especially for women. In general, it is believed that if a woman ate an apple before the Apple Savior, she takes upon herself the terrible sin of the first woman, Eve.
A very strict ban on eating apples applied to parents whose child died: it was believed that if parents eat an apple before the Apple Savior, their child in the next world will be left without a gift.
You can not leave the grain unharvested after the Apple Savior. Even the rain after this rescue was called "bread."
It is impossible to sew on this day: "Whoever sews for the Savior, he sheds tears all the time," they said among the people.
What kind folk omens connected with Apple Spas?
If you bite off the fruit after its consecration and immediately make a wish, it will quickly come true.
It was believed that from that day autumn came into its own: "Apple Spas - summer has gone from us", "On the second Spas, you need to take mittens in reserve."
If on this day a fly landed on a person’s hand twice, it meant the fulfillment of desires. In this case, the fly should never be driven or killed.
What the weather will be on Apple Savior, so will January be, the people believed.
Today, August 19, 2018, the great Orthodox holiday Apple Spas is celebrated - the second in a series of "three Spas". Every year they are celebrated on August 14 (Honey), August 19 (Apple) and August 29 (Nut or Bread).
What kind of holiday is Apple Savior, what does it mean and what is its history
The holiday was established in honor of the memory of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, which took place on Tabor. The Gospel states: Jesus Christ with three disciples - James, John and Peter - climbed Mount Tabor. Together they began to pray fervently. After some time, the disciples fell asleep, and when they woke up, they saw Jesus Christ transfigured, with a radiant face, in snow-white robes. Then two prophets appeared - Elijah with Moses, and soon the disciples heard a voice from heaven, saying that Jesus Christ is His Son, and He needs to be listened to. As the disciples and Jesus Christ descended from the mountain, Jesus Christ commanded them not to tell anyone what they had witnessed until He died and rose again.
The Transfiguration of Jesus Christ happened 40 days before His death, in February, but they began to celebrate it in August. The holiday had to be postponed so that it would not fall on great post. Now it is celebrated 40 days before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Since the Apple Savior is celebrated on the days of the Dormition Fast, they were allowed to eat fish dishes, wine and vegetable oil. In churches, the clergy wear all white. The custom of consecrating apples dates back to the 8th century, and now grapes with pears, vegetables, wheat ears with honey are brought to temples for consecration. They say that until the rescue comes, they don’t eat apples - it’s impossible, especially for those whose child has died. After the consecration of apples, they need to be distributed to the needy, the poor.
Traditions at Apple Spas
It is customary to bake apple pies, pancakes from lean test. Compotes and jams are made from apples. They say that insects are not killed on such a day, and they are not even driven away, otherwise there will be no luck and happiness.
On a public holiday, you cannot:
- be in a bad mood;
- engage in physical labor - sewing, knitting, washing, minor chores;
- speak loudly, laugh;
- participate in recreational activities;
- allow quarrels with loved ones;
- to be angry, to wish evil.
In the morning on the Apple Savior, you need to go to church with a basket of apples, symbolizing the harvest, the strength of the soul, bread, symbolizing the house and family, horseradish, symbolizing steadfast faith, salt, symbolizing readiness for life's difficulties, baking. Everything that has been consecrated must be eaten. If the leftovers have deteriorated, they are either given to livestock or buried in the garden. The basket is complemented with candles, greens.
What not to do on Apple Spas
There are no overly strict bans on Apple Savior, and yet the holiday falls on the time of the strict Dormition Fast, which does not welcome the violation of fasting food.
You can’t eat apples before the Apple Savior, and even on this day, until the fruits are consecrated in the church.
You can not sew, knit, do cleaning and construction work. In general, it is best not to do any physical work other than cooking and harvesting.
Remember that the Dormition Fast is going on until August 27th. Therefore, you can not have fun, and also eat meat, eggs, fatty foods.
Also, do not kill or drive away insects.
On this day, it is customary to treat the children of poor and sick people. How more apples If you manage to distribute, the more kind and generous God will be to you. Good housewives bake apple pies.
The Feast of the Apple Savior, first of all, should remind people of the importance of spiritual transformation.
Signs for Apple Spas
A sign about the weather on Apple Spas: what will be the weather on the Second Spas, this should be expected in the month of January.
If the weather is dry and hot on this day, then autumn will be dry, without rain, warm, and vice versa.
If the leaves on the trees turn yellow, it will be cold soon.
If the wind blows strong, a harsh winter will come.
The cover will be the same as the day of the Apple Savior.
It was previously believed that the weather on August 19 is a mirror image of the weather in January. Any precipitation throughout the day of the holiday suggests snow in winter, but if there is heat on the day of the Apple Savior, then there will be little snow in January.
A sign of good luck: you should expect incredible success and wealth if on the day of the Apple Savior the fly landed on your hand twice.
Whole next year you will definitely spend in abundance if you treat the beggar with apples on the day of the Savior.
Be sure to take out the fruit yourself if you suddenly see such a person on the street. And in the event that during the whole day of the holiday you absolutely do not catch the eye of a needy person, then this is a rather bad omen.
Happy Apple Savior!
Apple Savior: Faithful and Superstitious Traditions
- Is it possible to have an apple now, the Transfiguration is in a week! - the parishioner in the churchyard was indignant last Sunday.
- You can, you can, they are store-bought, so they were consecrated last year, - the gray-bearded priest jokes in response.
Today, the Orthodox celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord or, as it is often called by the people, the Apple Spas. But such dialogues can be heard on the eve of the Honey Savior (August 14), and on the eve of the Linen or Khlebny (August 29). And to the question: why the Orthodox cannot eat honey or apples until a certain date in the summer, almost no one gives a clear answer. How to distinguish superstition from the true church tradition of celebrating the Apple Savior - in the material of RIA Novosti.
© RIA Novosti / Vitaly Ankov
Orthodox Christians celebrate Apple Savior
Holiday on the wrong day
According to the Gospel, Jesus Christ, together with his closest disciples - Peter, James and John - ascended Mount Tabor to pray. The apostles saw that he was transformed - “His clothes became shining, very white, like snow, as a bleacher cannot bleach on the ground” - and how the prophets Elijah and Moses who appeared to them talked with their Teacher. “And there was a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, listen to him. When this voice was, Jesus was left alone, ”says the Gospel of Luke.
And when the vision disappeared, Jesus told the disciples that he was going to die and then be resurrected. But he strictly forbade them to tell anyone about it.
It happened 40 days before the death of Christ. Why does the Church celebrate the holiday not in February, but in August?
“The reason is that without being postponed to another month, this celebration would always fall on the days of Holy Forty Days (Great Lent – ed.), and this would be incompatible with the Lenten service and the sad time of repentance,” explains Protodeacon Dmitry Polovnikov.
The Holy Fathers of the Church called the Transfiguration the day when “the prophets and apostles rejoiced” and decided to celebrate it in August, 40 days before the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord, when the faithful would again remember the crucifixion of the Savior.
The clergy on this day serve in snow-white vestments. But, despite the holiday, the observance of the Dormition fast is not canceled, although with indulgences - fish, wine and oil (vegetable oil) are allowed.
"In Russia, grapes are tight"
“Everything without a trace that is subject to a person can be consecrated by him; everything that we work on, that we touch, all the objects of life - everything can become part of the Kingdom of God, if this Kingdom of God is within us and, like the radiance of Christ, spreads to everything that we touch ... Let's think about it; we are not called to enslave nature, we are called to free it from the captivity of corruption and death and sin, free it and return it to harmony with the Kingdom of God. And therefore, we will become thoughtful, reverent towards this whole created world that we see, and let us serve in it as co-workers with Christ, so that the world reaches its glory and so that by us all created things enter into the joy of the Lord, ”the well-known Orthodox missionary of the 20th century explained the spiritual meaning of the feast of the Transfiguration Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Back in the 4th century - authentically known time the existence of the holiday - the fruits of the new harvest were consecrated on the Transfiguration. According to one version, this is how the Church supplanted the pagan harvest festivals - in honor of Bacchus-Dionysus, for example.
“In the priestly missal, in the Menologion, the first is a prayer for the consecration of grapes. The fact is that in Greece (read Byzantium) the grapes were ripening just at this time. And a believing person always brought the first fruits to the temple as his sacrifice to God and for the consecration of the entire harvest. The offering and consecration of the firstborn (this applies to both people and animals and various fruits) is a “standard” religious tradition, both for Judaism and for pagan religions, and Christianity could not stay away from expressing gratitude to God for the fruits . It is now that shops offer all the variety of fruits of the world all year round, and before that, what grew up was eaten. So, we must thank God for what has grown,” says Protodeacon Dmitry Polovnikov.
In Russian churches Orthodox Church after the service, not only apples are consecrated, but also grapes, plums and everything that has grown in the gardens. But why is it all the same "Apple" Spas?
© RIA Novosti / Konstantin Chalabov
Celebration of the Apple Savior in the cities of Russia
The Church does not get tired of repeating: such rituals have nothing to do with either the holiday itself or Orthodoxy. These are just superstitions.
“Superstition - that is, vain, empty faith, faith in emptiness, when supernatural properties are attributed to ordinary objects - is the result of religious ignorance and the loss of a living connection with the Church. Superstitions arise when secondary, external, ritual things are put at the forefront, and what is really the main and important thing - the inner content - is simply forgotten, lost, ”warns Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary.
But after all, even in the church one can hear from regular parishioners that eating apples before the Transfiguration is a sin. For greater persuasiveness, Adam and Eveau are cited as an example: they supposedly tasted the forbidden apple - and get out of Eden! Only, it turns out, it's not about the date at all.
“Typicon (liturgical charter - ed.) prescribes to refrain from eating apples until they are consecrated. And the meaning of this prescription is not so much in abstaining from fruits for a certain period, but in the fact that the first fruits of the harvest must first be consecrated and only then consumed. In some monasteries, there is a tradition to consecrate the fruits of the first harvest as soon as they ripen, and then eat them at a meal, without waiting for the Feast of the Transfiguration,” explains Metropolitan Anthony.
“In the Church, everything is meaningful, everything is subject to the gospel logic, it serves the salvation of the human soul. And superstition is always devoid of internal meaning and focuses on external action, with a complete absence of internal content, ”he adds.
Apple Spas is the central of the three Spas Orthodox calendar. Under this name, the people call the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which is celebrated on August 19. Apple Savior has a rich history and various traditions, which we will discuss in this article.
Holiday name
The Orthodox holiday of the Transfiguration of the Lord invariably coincides with the harvest time. From year to year, the date of this celebration remains unchanged and falls on August 19th. It is at this time that the harvesting of apples begins, which are brought by believers to the church and consecrated. The arrival of this holiday symbolizes farewell to summer and the meeting of autumn, the main task which is to harvest a good harvest.
The Orthodox calendar in August contains three Spas:
- On August 14, Honey Savior is celebrated;
- August 19 - Apple;
- On August 29, the time of the Nut Savior comes.
According to the position of the Apple Savior in this triad, he is called the middle, central and Great.
Apple Savior falls on the Assumption Fast, which will end on August 28. On this day, the church advises to cook dishes with apples and other fruits consecrated in the church.
By folk beliefs until the Great Savior, you can’t eat apples and take them off the tree. This is currently confirmed by studies, as a result of which it was proved that apples by this time are gaining a maximum of juice and useful substances and can be stored for a long time. The first fruits were taken for testing on this very day and were necessarily consecrated in the church.
History of the celebration
The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is connected with one of the parables about Christ. Christ, with his disciples Peter, James and John, 40 days before his crucifixion, goes to Mount Tabor, where his future fate is revealed to him as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind. During this, Jesus was illuminated by the brightest light of the Lord, and the disciples saw how Christ was transformed. But he forbade them to tell anyone about this, but ordered them to gather fruits in the garden under the mountain and consecrate them.
The history of the celebration of the Great Savior in Russia dates back to the 4th century and was not originally connected with Orthodox themes. On this day, people believed in a change in nature and a turn in the calendar for autumn. It was believed that nature is changing and a new time period is coming - autumn.
(Kasatkin Nikolai Alekseevich "Good grandfather")
On this day, it has long been customary to treat everyone with fruits from their lands. For this, baskets with collected fruits were put up at the gates of the house and everyone could treat themselves to them. Those who did not put out treats were considered greedy people and tried to avoid their homes.
An apple - one of the main fruits in Russia - was endowed special significance. The people believed that an apple eaten on this holiday would surely give a lot of strength and fulfill the most cherished desire. It was customary not only to eat apples, but also to prepare jams, compotes and pies from them.
An important tradition in Russian villages on this day was the cleansing of fields for the next harvest. On this holiday, houses were decorated with collected ears of corn, which symbolized a rich harvest and a long, well-fed life.
Traditions and customs of the Apple Savior
(Consecration of apples in the church on Apple Savior)
One of the main traditions is a ban on eating fruits and trying new crops until this day. This is connected with Christian dogma about strengthening faith and fighting temptations.
On this day, it is customary to wear white clothes and bring the collected fruits to church for consecration, and then use them to prepare dishes for the festive table.
(Kustodiev "Apple Orchard")
The Great Spas is rich in folk omens:
- If there is no rain on the Great Spas, then the autumn will be dry, and the winter will be severe. If it's a rainy day, then autumn will be generous with rainfall.
- Whoever did not try new fruits before the Transfiguration, with the first bitten off piece, should make a wish and it will come true.
- Another popular name for this holiday is Oseniny. The weather begins to change: the nights are getting colder, the birds are going to fly to warmer climes.
- If on this day a fly sits on the body, then you should not drive it away. It brings success in business and happiness in personal life.
Many traditions of the Apple Savior remain unchanged today, as well as all ancient signs about the weather and changes in nature on this day remain true to this day.
