Winter came into its own. Filippovsky is coming, or Christmas post. The village lives a joyful expectation of Christmas Christ, is preparing for the merry Christmas time. At this time, December 19th to new style, we have a holiday beloved by the people – a day of remembrance St. Nicholas, Archbishop of the World of Lycian, the Miracle Worker, or, as peasants spoke differently, Nicholas the winter.
Gracious saint
Photo from open source St. Nicholas of Mozhaisk, Lubok, 1720 year
Nikolai the Miracle Worker – has long been one of the most beloved by the people saints. According to legend, he assists in difficult life situations, domestic and economic problems, difficult peasant work. Sometimes people don’t even have to ask a saint about it – Nicholas the Savior miraculously appears and helps needy. Nicola the Gracious – that is how the peasants called him. The origins of these beliefs is the church biography of the saint. The people of Nikolai The Miracle Worker presented himself as an old man with a staff walking along Mother Russia and helping the villagers explicitly or secretly. People they said: “To all the gods in boots, and Nicole is more that he goes more.” Day of St. Nicholas the Gracious, December 19, since ancient times with reverence celebrated by travelers, especially mariners. Everywhere Nicholas the Wonderworker was considered the patron saint of sailors. According to church traditions, during the life of the saint more than once saved the suffering disaster at sea and in river waters. In gratitude for patronage to St. Nicholas on Russian soil, in its coastal areas, sailors and wealthy merchants, overseas merchants goods were erected many churches, called popularly temples of St. Nicholas the Wet. In Russia, the Miracle Worker took second place. (after Our Lady) by the number of consecrated churches: some were erected in honor of Nikola winter, frosty – due to changes, occurring in nature, and others – in honor of the feast day May 22, popularly called Nicholas vernal, green. One of of churches dedicated to the saint – St. Nicholas Cathedral in the Moscow Region Serpukhov. Old-timers said that one of its walls with the outside the sides were decorated with the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker, who in times persecution of the Church in every possible way tried to paint over and erase, but the face each time manifested itself again and again, once again showing strength and the holiness of the place.
Nikolsky fairs
Photos from open sources Nikolskaya fair
In the popular representation, Nikolai the Miracle Worker took over the functions its predecessor – the pagan god Veles. One of his features was the patronage of trade. In the settlements where the churches stood St. Nicholas Winter, December 19, Nicholas fairs were held. In Russia these were pagan festivities in honor of Veles, in Orthodox Russia – in honor of Nicholas the Miracle Worker. At Nikolsky fairs no one was afraid fraud – believed that among the noisy crowds walks himself a servant, monitors everyone and punishes liars and crooks. The main product at the fairs was bread, which had already been brought the established luge way. As a rule, for grain and other fruits agriculture by that time the final price was set: was calculated demand, estimated harvest, identified surpluses. So they said: “Nikolsky bargaining – all the decree”, “Bread prices is building Nikolsky bargaining. ”
Nikolskaya
Photos from open Sources Jan Stan. “St. Nicolas day”. 1665-1668 годы
Visiting the fair, selling goods, receiving money, stocking up all kinds of refreshments, peasants staged festive celebrations, the main features of which were going to visit and sharing feasts. The popular celebration, called in the people, was delayed. Nikolskoy, for three days. According to tradition, on Nicholas Winter all relatives gathered in the house of the oldest in the family – a big man. Together they brewed beer, exposed the mash from new grain, baked pies, treats were bought by a chipper. In the following days at the common table all the neighbors gathered, often the whole village. Settled refused to participate in Nikolshchina, the whole year the villagers harassed and reproached. At the celebration, they ate together both friends and enemies. They said: “Call a friend in Nikol’schina and foe – everyone will become friends. “A loaf was certainly set on the table, which was shared between all participants in the feast. That his ate together, symbolized reconciliation, which, as a rule, Nikolskaya ended. Also about the end of hostility and quarrels spoke the rite of “marriage of beer”: a hoppy drink from different houses poured into one vessel, from which it was poured to all those gathered for by the table.
Youth walks
By tradition, in Nikolskaya oblast the youth could not take part: children, single boys and unmarried girls. However, they are in vain they didn’t lose, but began to prepare with might and main for the Christmas time. In advance the negotiated hut, young people gathered for gatherings on which prepared costumes, masks, composed and taught carol songs, distributed roles in the ritual of caroling and the glorification of Christ. it time in some places was called St. Nicholas Christmastime – for the similarity of some of their customs with Christmas.
So, especially inquisitive girls wondered at Nicholas Winter. For instance, on the night of the holiday they put a belt for the image of a saint, believing that in a dream will see their wedding, and most importantly – the bridegroom. And the kids went to neighboring houses to praise Nicholas the Wonderworker singing about him spiritual poems.
Frost Meeting
Photos from open sources The modern idol of Veles in the Czech Republic
The peasants have long noted that to Nicholas the Winter the first severe frosts are set – Nikolsky. In times paganism at this time arranged a meeting with Moroz – one of incarnations of Veles, whose features were adopted by Nicholas the Wonderworker. Frost, like the saint, appeared to the peasants in the form of an old man. His old age was associated with winter as with the end of the year and the completion of human life. According to legend, Frost ruled over cold, snow and snowstorms. His wife was the beautiful Winter. Probably the origins of Nikolshchina as a joint celebration with feast are in a common meal and fun with which in the old times the Slavs met Frost. With the advent of Christianity in Russia in national beliefs Santa Claus gradually emerged – organic fusion of pagan Frost and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Day of Remembrance God’s saint coincided with the meeting of the cold incarnation of Veles, and the scripture endowed him with the ability to invisibly help, to give something to those in need. This is how Christian Saint Nicholas Archbishop Mir Lycian, put on a long coat and warm boots, began to deliver Christmas, and later New Year’s gifts to children, hiding them under a decorated Christmas tree.
Elena ARTEMOVA
Time
