Every year on November 4, Christians celebrate a holiday – the day of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. This is a national holy image deeply revered by the Slavic Orthodox faith. She is the patroness of the Russian people from troubles and misfortunes, protects the Russian clan from invaders and helps to find a betrothed.
The image of the Mother of God heals the sick, restores sight to the blind and helps to protect their native land from enemies. Many Christian signs and customs are associated with the triumph of the Kazan icon on November 4.
Traditions
The icon of Our Lady of Kazan is the intercessor of women. According to church canons, it is on November 4 that Orthodox women conduct many rituals related to relatives and friends, household wealth and family well-being. According to the sign on November 4, they also guess at the groom.
The day marks the subsequent arrival of real winter cold. On the Kazan Mother of God, believers ventilate bins so that food does not disappear.
Construction and land works of believers are associated with the Kazan Mother of God. The tradition has ancient roots – until this day, every peasant and worker is trying to finish construction or harvest.
On this day, men from work are greeted with bread and salt. For a holiday, every house is put in order, tables are laid and festive food is served.
According to popular belief, it is not recommended to plan long trips on November 4. The sign is associated with predicted weather conditions. If the weather on this day pleases with rain, it will be snowy in the evening, so it will not be possible to arrive quickly.
On the feast of Our Lady of Kazan, Orthodox Christians come to church to ask for blessings for themselves and loved ones near the icon and to light a candle. After the Divine Liturgy, believers go on a procession with the images of the saint in their arms, the Orthodox walk around the city, thus creating a circle of God's protection and patronage of the settlement from enemy invaders.
Signs for the weather
Folk omens for November 4 make it possible to accurately predict the coming weather conditions.
- If November 4 is a day without rain, it will be a difficult year.
- It will rain on Kazan in the morning – expect snow in the evening.
- If you go on a long journey – expect a long return.
- Marry Kazanskaya – you will be happy all your life.
- On this day, the frost is not great, but does not order to stand.
- What is the weather on Kazanskaya, such will be the winter.
- On November 4, the weather is clear – the winter is bright with cold weather.
- Fog is spreading on Kazanskaya in the morning – don't wear zhupan.
- On November 4, pray to the Mother of God, and the misfortunes will go away.
- There is a lot of good in the cellar – it will be a harsh winter.
Signs for the harvest
The expectation of rain on the feast of the Kazan Icon is directly related to the sign of the patronage of the Mother of God. It is believed that rain is the tears of the Almighty. If it rained on November 4, the Most Holy Theotokos prays for the Orthodox, asks God for forgiveness for their sins and for a good harvest next year.
The Slavs believe that November 4 marks the border between the meeting of autumn and winter. Therefore, if it rains in the morning, then by the evening the weather will change to colder, the water will freeze and it will snow.
Beliefs for girls
Unmarried women on this November day arrange a ceremony for their betrothed – at sunrise the girls go to look for a birch leaf covered with hoarfrost. If you look at this piece of paper like in a mirror, you can see your betrothed.
On November 4, unmarried girls go to church to ask their betrothed from the icon of the patroness of God. To do this, you need to take two candles, put near the image of the Mother of God of Kazan and say the words of the prayer, cross yourself, bow and go home. It is important not to talk to anyone on the way, otherwise the ceremony will lose its effect.
For married ladies, a magic mirror leaf, according to omen, brings beauty and rejuvenates the appearance. There is a sign that if a married woman looks at a birch leaf, her face will become more beautiful and younger.
Another sign on the November day of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Kazan is associated with apples and honey. The girls make a face mask from the consecrated apples and honey saved from the Savior. The apple peel is thrown out into the street, imagining that, together with the peel, they get rid of external skin imperfections.
Beliefs for a wedding
They try to coincide with the holiday late autumn weddings so that the Mother of God herself blesses the young for a happy family life. If the day is rainy, then the newlyweds will live a long and comfortable life, and if the weather is sunny, the young will not live together for long and the marriage will fall apart. If the weather is expected to be good on Kazan, the superstitious newlyweds postpone the wedding to another day.
The rite of the Orthodox wedding is also associated with the day of the Kazan intercessor. Any of the married couples on this day can get married to show the strength of their love to the Almighty.
Amulets
It is believed that a baby born on November 4 will have a long and happy life. They are purposeful and energetic optimists. The chrysolite stone is God's talisman that brings him happiness and good luck. With his help:
- easy to find true friends;
- protect property from theft;
- find out the upcoming future;
- to establish trade relations.
What not to do on holiday
The celebration of the winter Our Lady of Kazan is not one of the twelve Christian rites. Therefore, the canon does not prohibit working on November 4th. However, believers are trying to complete all urgent matters by November, including harvesting. They truly believe that the hard work being undertaken on November 4th will not bring the desired results.
Many women's customs are associated with the November holiday. The icon is considered a female intercessor, giving them strength and strengthening the body, rejuvenating external beauty and healing ailments.
The evidence of the true faith of the Orthodox in the signs of November 4 once again proves the reality of God's blessing of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. Those believers who sacredly observe Christian customs always receive the patronage of the Almighty for themselves, loved ones, family and home. The miraculous icon works unthinkable miracles, healing the sick and protecting the settlements of believers.
The Slavic people know that all the prayers uttered on November 4 will be surely heard by the Mother of God.
