The third day of May (according to the old style, April 20) is the day of the Monk Fyodor, who during his life wore only a hair shirt. According to popular belief, May 3 is called the day of Fyodor Vlasyanichnik, they devote this day to the remembrance of the dead, and prepare for sowing.
Rituals of calling out to parents
It was believed that on May 3, people who departed to another world begin to yearn for their past life, want to meet with relatives and friends. There was a belief that the souls of ancestors fly out into the world of the living through the opened heavens. This allows the living to meet the dead.
Elderly and old women had a tradition to call the dead. To do this, on May 3, early in the morning, they went to the cemetery and shouted there with crying. At the same time, certain words were pronounced. They talked about how bad life is without those who have gone to another world, they asked relatives to leave the graves, and reassure them with kind words.
Lament text:
Traditions – signs for May 3:
- If a rich funeral table is arranged on this day, then the ancestors in the next world will be fine.
- If you do not arrange scandals and quarrels on this day, then the dead will see that there is peace and quiet in their house.
- Having fun on the day of calling out to your parents is to bring trouble on yourself. This time is for remembrance only.
- If May 3 falls on a Saturday, it is called 'Parental'.
On this day, they put on new clothes so that the ancestors saw how well their children, friends and grandchildren were living. Contemporaries honor this tradition, go to the cemetery, bring pancakes, eggs, and alcohol with them. On May 3, they do not start any important business, they do not plan any weddings or christenings.
Peasant traditions on Feodor's day
The peasants went to the edge of the village, laid out snow-white tablecloths, set up rich meals, lit church candles in front of the icons. The holiday was called – 'Generic Eels'. People illuminated each other, and the forthcoming sowing, prayed for a good harvest. When the family was the only stronghold, all relatives prayed before every important matter.
The third day of May was important for fishermen. It is a great sin to hunt at this time – the roach spawns.
Folk omens associated with fish:
- If the roach is dispersed 3 or 4 days after Fedor, then sowing should be done earlier;
- If the fish stays together for 7 days or more, sow later.
In any case, they tried to sow early, since according to the omen: if you sow a day earlier, you will reap a week earlier.
Folk omens for May 3
- Lightning flashed after the rain, but there was no thunder – a harbinger of clear weather;
- Double or triple rainbow – predicts an improvement in the weather on this day, but promises heavy rains soon;
- The singing of a nightingale among the bare trees promises a poor harvest of fruits and berries;
- Daisies bent the inflorescences to the ground – soon bad weather;
- The appearance of yellow primrose flowers – warming soon.
- A dry top layer of the earth – predicts a lack of a good harvest.
- An abundance of spruce cones – promises a good harvest of grain crops, a lot of pine cones – rye will be good.
- What will grow earlier: grass or rye – that will be a rich harvest.
- May 3 spring is friendly – you can sow.
Superstitions do not order Fyodor Vlasyanichnik to lie (do nothing) in the fields, otherwise the harvest may not be expected.
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