CrimeaPRESS reports:
April 2 On the day of Fotinya, the Well Women glorified flax and did this already at dawn. To do this, people took beautiful things made of flax, took them out of the house and hung them on birch branches and fences. Embroidered towels were especially often used for these purposes. Unmarried girls began to dance in circles with long towels embroidered specifically for the wedding — it was believed that this would help attract suitors.
By the way, on April 2, young and unmarried people hung special towels on the branches of birch trees, on which fish and initials were embroidered. For round dances on April 2, very long towels from 2 to 6 meters were used.
They said that Photinia is a healer and helps fight fever. It is known that at one time she converted many people to faith in Christ, for which she was thrown into a well. And they believed that Fotinya’s soul remained in the well. On April 2, special prayer services were served for her in the church. They wrote a troparion on paper, tied a note in a rag, which the patient had to wear around his neck for 3 days. After this, you need to swallow the note or first burn it and eat the ashes.
Signs of April 2 are associated with weather prediction:
- rain on this day foretells an abundance of mushrooms and berries in the forest;
- if it’s hot outside during the day and cold at night, then in the next week the weather will be warm and clear;
- dampness — to light plowing and fruitful sowing;
- a clear night means morning frosts;
- the icicles have not yet melted — there is cold ahead;
- if the snowdrifts melt quickly and the streams gurgle loudly, it means that a lot of grass will grow in May;
- an ice crust on melted snow promises a rich harvest, and ice quickly carried away by the river flow speaks of the same thing;
- absence of frost on April 2 and mating games of birds — for a favorable summer;
- the arrival of starlings on the day of Photinia notifies the arrival of spring and promises warm weather until late autumn;
- if clouds are floating against the wind and crows are hovering in the sky, there will be precipitation;
- The crow of a rooster in the morning during rain means better weather;
- a crane sat on the crust — to a bad harvest;
- if the wagtails have arrived, then in 12 days ice drift will begin on the rivers;
- the cat asks to go outside — wait for the sun;
- a dog barks at the moon — a strong wind;
- see a hare with a white coat — snow will fall;
- A snowdrop has grown near the house — a new addition to the family.
The Christian Church remembers the Holy Martyr Fotina
The holy martyr Photina was the same Samaritan woman with whom the Savior talked at Jacob’s well. During the time of Emperor Nero (54-68), who showed extreme cruelty in the fight against Christianity, Saint Photina lived in Carthage with her youngest son Josiah and fearlessly preached the Gospel there. Her eldest son Victor fought bravely in the Roman armies against the barbarians and for his services was appointed military commander in the city of Attalia (Asia Minor).
The mayor of Attalia, Sebastian, when meeting with Saint Victor, advised him to submit to the will of the emperor and write to his mother and brother so that they would not preach Christ openly. Saint Victor refused, and when Sebastian warned him of impending disasters, he felt a sharp pain in his eyes, his face changed and he became numb.
He lay blind for three days, without uttering a word, and on the fourth day he confessed Christ. Soon he was baptized and immediately received his sight.
Rumors about what had happened reached Nero, and he ordered the Christians to be brought to him for trial in Rome. Then the Lord Himself appeared to the confessors and encouraged them. Saint Photina, informed by the Savior of the upcoming suffering, accompanied by several Christians, set out from Carthage to Rome and joined the confessors.
In Rome, the emperor ordered the saints to be brought to him and asked them whether they really believed in Christ. All confessors resolutely refused to renounce the Savior. After the torture, Nero ordered Saints Sebastian, Photinus and Josiah to be blinded and imprisoned, and Saint Photina with her five sisters — Anastasia, Photo, Photida, Paraskeva and Kyriacia — to be sent to the imperial palace under the supervision of Nero’s daughter Domnina. But Saint Photina converted Domnina and all her slaves to Christ, who accepted holy Baptism.
Three years have passed…
Nero sent to prison for one of his servants who was imprisoned. The messengers informed him that Saints Sebastian, Photinus and Josiah, who were blinded, became completely healthy, and they were constantly visited by people who listened to their preaching. The prison itself turned into a bright and fragrant place where God was glorified. Nero again ordered the torture of the martyrs, but the Angel of the Lord freed and healed them.
In helpless rage, Nero ordered to flay Saint Photina and throw the martyr into a well; the rest of the martyrs were executed.
Saint Photina was pulled out of the well and imprisoned for 20 days. After this, Nero called her to him and asked if she would now submit and make sacrifices to idols. Saint Photina spat in the emperor’s face and, laughing at him, said: “The most wicked blind, lost and insane man! Do you really consider me so unreasonable that I would agree to renounce my Lord Christ and sacrifice to blind idols like you?!”
Hearing such words, Nero again ordered the martyr to be thrown into the well, where she gave up her spirit to the Lord.
Also on this day, April 2, they celebrate:
- Orange Icicle Day
- Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia
- International Children’s Book Day
- World Autism Awareness Day
- Memorial Day of St. Euphrosynus of Sinozersk, Novgorod
- April 2 – National Ferret Day – USA
- Cynologist Day – Ukraine
- Nature Day – Iran
- April 2 – National Reconciliation Day – USA
- National Heritage Day — Thailand
- National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day — USA
- April 2 – Malvinas Islands Day – Argentina
- Name days for Sergei, Victor, Paraskeva, Sevastian, Alexandra, Claudia, Nikita
- Fotinha Well
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