October 7th, according to our ancestors, is a special day. In the old days, all girls eagerly awaited it. What's so special about this date, you ask? Let's find out together.
Every year on October 7th, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the early Christian saint Thecla of Iconium.
The folk called the day Thekla Zarevnitsa. Thekla was also called Zapryadnitsa, since it was on October 7th that our ancestors began threshing.
Story of the day
Saint Thecla was born in the city of Iconium (modern-day Turkey). Her parents were pagans and belonged to a noble family. When Thecla turned 18, she was betrothed to a wealthy young man. But when the girl heard the sermons of the Apostle Paul, who had arrived in the city, she set herself the goal of serving the Lord.
Offended by the refusal, Thekla's fiancé went to the governor with a request to arrest the Apostle Paul for allegedly forbidding young women to marry. Thekla secretly visited Paul in prison, bribing the guards. She paid them with her jewelry.
When this became known, both saints (Paul and Thecla) were brought to trial. According to legend, the saint was about to be burned at the stake, but a heavy rain began to extinguish the flames. Thecla was then thrown to the wild beasts, but they, too, did not touch her.
There was also a case when drunken men tried to dishonor a virgin, but the Lord revealed a mountain before her, where she managed to hide in one of the caves.
The girl later returned to her parents and was able to convert her mother to Christianity. During her life, the Orthodox saint practiced healing and gave many faith in God. Thekla lived to be 90 years old and died peacefully in the cave where she hid from pagan priests.
Traditions of the day
People called October 7th Thekla Zarevnitsa, because the days were quickly waning and the nights were growing darker. Moreover, from this day on, barns (the buildings where sheaves were stored and grain was threshed) began to be heated for the first time. The barns were heated at midnight.
Our ancestors also considered this day to be the name day of the barn spirit. This is a mythical creature that, according to folk wisdom, lives in the barn and protects it from fires. Therefore, on October 7th, a pot of porridge and a pie were always left for him.
On this day, people used to say, “Thekla is pulling beets.” And for good reason, as gardeners were just beginning to harvest beets from their vegetable gardens.
Ancestors believed that no one could ever untie a knot tied on October 7th. That's why this period was considered the best time to celebrate a wedding.
It was also believed that children born on October 7 would grow up brave and strong.
On Thekla, women were required to do needlework to attract well-being and prosperity to the family.
It was customary to spend the day in joy.
But it was the girls who awaited Thekla Zarevnitsa most of all. On the holiday, they performed a special and very dangerous fortune-telling, which revealed their fate as women.
On the holiday, the girls baked kalachi and went to the hayloft to find out the answer to a question that was troubling them. There, they received a sign that served as a clue:
- if no one touches a girl's loaf of bread and her hand, then she will remain a spinster for the rest of her life;
- if the fortune teller's hand is covered with cold, then she will marry a poor man;
- If the touch of the fortune teller's hand is warm or hairy, then she will successfully enter into marriage.
Signs of the day
On October 7th, our ancestors always paid attention to the signs:
- The low flight of birds over the earth's surface promised the arrival of an early and harsh winter.
- Lots of acorns mean the winter will be warm and the summer will be fruitful.
- Lightning and thunder on a holiday promise the imminent arrival of frost.
- Squirrels shed their tails, which means there will be a cold winter.
- Lots of rowan berries mean there will be a lot of snow in winter.
October 7th is an important day, according to folk wisdom. On this Orthodox holiday, believers are required to visit a church to honor Saint Thekla in prayer. It's also a good idea to draw on the wisdom of our ancestors to navigate the day wisely and avoid misfortune.
