The end of the spring sowing work, as well as the harvest festival, was celebrated in Russia on a grand scale. The tradition of festivities on June 13 has been preserved to this day, however, few people remember why.
From ancient times, June 13 is considered the day of veneration of the holy prophet Jeremiah, known from the chronicles of the Old Testament. Since the time of ancient Russia, the holiday has been called the day of Jeremiah the Rack-harness, this is associated with the end of the spring sowing work and, accordingly, the release, that is, the unharness of the horses.
It is believed that the cuckoo, which is frequent on this day, portends excellent weather, but rainy weather on this day has always been considered a sign of a bad, poor harvest.
Eremiah himself was considered one of the followers of Christ, who accepted a painful death for the holy teaching and his own religious convictions. Refusal to offer a pagan sacrifice, which would become a symbol of Heremiah's renunciation of the faith, entailed cruel torture. According to legend, the saint did not die on the third day of serious trials, and even healed the witnesses of this miracle, who were blinded by horror and surprise.
Day of the Holy Spirit and Anthony of Padua
June 13 is also traditionally considered the day of the Holy Spirit, that is, the beginning that is designed to forgive sins and perform various miracles. On this day, name days are celebrated by the bearers of the name Roman, Christina and Polycarp.
According to Catholic traditions, June 13 is considered the day of St. Anthony, one of the most revered saints. The offspring of noble parents, Anthony of Padua entered the monastery at the age of 15 and devoted his life to serving the Lord. Numerous pilgrimages, thorough knowledge of the holy scriptures, folk sermons made Anthony highly respected among the common people, the priest is also known for his miracles, and this is what served as a serious basis for ranking him among the saints. It is interesting that the glory and veneration of this saint reached the borders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and made him a favorite of Orthodox Christians.
Anthony is considered the patron saint of the family and the poor, people come to him to ask for good luck in love affairs and endeavors, according to tradition, young people write their messages on special pieces of paper and throw notes into the boxes of the church.
A day in Islam
In Islam, the night from June 12 to June 13 is called the night of purification or Baraat. The taming of spirit and flesh these days is considered a guarantee of absolution. According to legends, all who pray and ask for mercy on this night will be able to find forgiveness and be cleansed.
Jews on this day celebrate a pilgrimage holiday, or Pentecost. According to the legend, it was on this day that Moses was honored to receive the Holy Scriptures, the Torah, from the hands of the Lord on Mount Sinai.
