Assumption of the Blessed Virgin: traditions, signs and beliefs

On August 28, the entire Orthodox world celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This holiday is dedicated to the memory of the Assumption (death) of the Mother of God. In Orthodoxy, it is one of the twenty main holidays.

The Assumption of the Virgin means the end of Her earthly life and the ascension to heaven to Her Son and our Lord.

The Assumption of the Virgin is preceded by a strict two-week Assumption fast, which is timed to this remarkable day.

The earthly life of Virgin Mary, according to the church tradition, ended in Jerusalem 15 years after the Resurrection of Christ. All the apostles gathered to say farewell to the Mother of God. And at that moment, Christ with a multitude of angels came down to them. The Virgin appealed to the Lord with a prayer and joyfully passed her soul into his hands. This moment is depicted on the icons of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a truly bright and joyful holiday.

Traditions and customs

In ancient times, on the day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, believers would bring to church seeds and ears of various breads for blessing and consecration, and leave a small handful of uncut peas in the field, tie them with a ribbon and say: "May God bring us a good harvest the next summer!"

On the Assumption, farmers would finish gathering the harvest, bake pies, call relatives and neighbors to the feast.

After the Assumption, the season of weddings begins. Young men would try to get engaged with girls by August 28, because this was the last chance to propose to them this year. And unmarried girls need to start looking for betrothed for themselves, otherwise they cannot marry until next spring.

What can not be done on this day

On this day, you should not take prickly and cutting things into your hands, and cook food. Believers break bread with their hands, because knives can not be used.

On the Assumption, you cannot walk barefoot. It was believed that this way you can catch all the diseases. Dew on this day is the nature’s tears for the Blessed Virgin who left this world and can not be with people and help them.

Source – the Obozrevatel