Peter's Day is popularly called, celebrated on July 12, an Orthodox holiday in honor of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. In the Russian Orthodox Church, they are revered as disciples of Christ, who consistently preached his teachings.
Peter and Paul
There are different opinions about the historicity of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. In the lives of the saints, their lives are presented as an example of asceticism and devotion to the ideas of Christ.
According to Christian tradition, Paul came from a wealthy family that belonged to the Jewish diaspora of the city of Tarsus. He was originally named Saul. As a Pharisee and Roman citizen, he studied languages, philosophy and jurisprudence. Presumably, Saul was among those who persecuted Christians and was present at the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian deacon and martyr.
When Saul was traveling to Damascus to continue persecuting Christians, a bright light flashed before his eyes, Saul fell from his horse and lost his sight. A voice coming out of the light asked him why he was persecuting Christ. In Damascus, the Christian Ananias, who visited the city, returned Saul's sight and, christening him, named him Paul. Paul subsequently became an outstanding Christian missionary and became famous for his healings.
The Catholic Church considers Peter to be the first bishop of Roman Christians. However, there is no historical reliable information about the life of Peter.
Before meeting Christ, Saint Peter bore the name Simon and was a fisherman. He and his brother Andrew were the first to be called by Jesus Christ to follow him and become "fishers of men." Seeing the special giftedness of Simon, Jesus named him Peter, which in Greek means “stone,” and called him the first of the apostles, the founder of the church and the keeper of the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
After Jesus was betrayed and captured, before the first cock crowed, Peter declared three times that he had nothing to do with the man from Nazareth. So the prediction of Christ came true. But then Peter repented and, together with Paul, was martyred on June 29, 67. Because of this, Peter and Paul went down in history inseparably, and in the Christian folk calendar they merged into one image. The day of their memory on June 29 according to the old style or July 12 (new style) is popularly called by the people one word "Petrovki".
Petrov day
The Day of the Most Highs Peter and Paul was originally introduced in Rome, where the bishops declared themselves heirs of the Apostle Peter. Then the holiday spread to other European countries.
In Russia, it coincided with the beginning of haymaking and entered everyday life as a milestone in the agricultural cycle. This gave him the opportunity to take root in the peasant life.
The custom of having a joint meal on Peter's day has been a tradition since ancient times. According to legend, once a deer ran from the forest into the village. He was taken for a gift from God, stabbed and eaten by the whole world.
On the eve of the holiday, the church established a strict fast for many days, which creates a certain psychological mood among believers. On Petrov's day they broke the fast. A suitable ram was chosen in advance, then it was redeemed by the whole world, and the former owner of the ram fed it specially for Peter's day, and on a festive morning the ram was slaughtered and arranged a "brotherhood".
In the Upper Volga villages, the ram was replaced by a goby, also bought in a club. The slaughtered bull was boiled in several cauldrons in the village square, and after mass in the church, led by the priest, they held a "worldly" meal.
