July 17 is popularly called the day of Andrey Naliv. On this day, the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete. On July 17, celebrations of the Svyatogorsk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Tenderness" are taking place.
Andrew of Crete
A popular saying is connected with this day: "Ozimi are suitable in bulk, the oats are half grown."
July 17 in the national calendar is called the day of Andrey Naliv. This nickname of the saint reflects a certain period of ripening of the bread. It is at this time that winter and spring breads enter the phase of waxy ripeness, and buckwheat is actively growing.
On this day, prayers are addressed to the mercy of Saint Andrew of Crete. Little is known about him. He was originally from Damascus, and at the age of 14 he began to live in the Jerusalem monastery of St. Sava. Then Andrew served as a secretary-sinchell under Patriarch Theodore and in 679 he participated in the sixth Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople. At the end of the 7th century, he was made archbishop of Crete.
Numerous church hymns, chants, of which he is the author, are associated with the name of Andrew of Crete. The most famous of them is the "Great Council of Penitence", containing 250 topars, while in other canons there are no more than 30. Andrew of Crete died in 720 or about 726.
Saint Andrew was often commemorated in church services. This is due to the fact that the memory of him falls on the middle of summer, on the eve of an important time for the peasants. In central Russia these days, heavy long-awaited rains often fell. They were called Andreevsky. They were the most desirable, as they coincided with the filling of ears. Hence the name of the holiday - the day of Andrey Naliv.
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Tenderness"
July 17 is also the day of memory of the great martyr Marina (Margarita). On this day, the angels of Leonida, Margarita and Marina celebrate their day according to the calendar.
During the time of Ivan the Terrible, in 1563, a fifteen-year-old shepherd holy fool Timothy, a native of Voronichi, a suburb of Pskov, one evening appeared the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness", which at that time was in the Voronicheskaya parish St. George Church. This event took place near the Lugovitsa river. Timofey saw a wonderful radiance in the air. A voice came from the icon, announcing that in 6 years God's grace would shine on this mountain.
In 1569 the same holy fool Timothy on the Sinichya Mountain appeared on a pine tree the icon of the Mother of God "Odigitria". Then Timothy made himself a booth and spent 40 days at that place in fasting and prayer. A wonderful voice emanating from the icon ordered the clergy and people to come to the Titmouse with the icon "Tenderness". When the procession reached the mountain, and the prayer service began, during the reading of the Gospel, the air was filled with a fragrance, and the light shone. All those present saw the "Hodegetria" on the pine tree. It, together with the icon "Tenderness", was placed in the church of the great martyr George. Many miraculous signs and healings are associated with these icons.
