October 3 — Astafia Day. Kabustles?

On Astafyev, the day was always chopped cabbage, since the heads touched by frost received a unique taste.

And on October 3, Melniki celebrated their holiday. Our ancestors were ambiguous to people of this profession: on the one hand, they were indispensable, since it was very difficult to get high -quality flour at home, on the other hand, they believed that without evil spirits (according to the beliefs) it was impossible to build a mill and grind grain. It was believed that for this it was necessary to make a water human sacrifice: push a person under the mill wheel or into a pool. And annually, on October 3, the waterman had to remind about this, throwing bread into the pool and pouring vodka there. The people believed that from the whirlpool to the bake, a stone’s throw, because they never spend prayers on the mills.

In addition, near the mill, people were afraid of a meeting with a beautiful woman and a black dog, since the unclean force that drives the wheel could take just such a look.

It is worth noting that an abandoned and destroyed mill, according to folk beliefs, was an even more dangerous space: ghouls sat on the roof, and devils on the pillars. A traveler who accidentally wandered into such a hypertension could never be seen.

On October 3, the Church venerates the memory of St. Eustathius of the Roman, a martyr, who was previously a military leader under the emperor Titus and Emperor Trajan. After during the hunt, he saw the image of Jesus on the cross between the horns of a deer, he decided to accept Christianity. After that, two sons of Eustathius and spouse were baptized. Fate was experienced by Eustathius — his cattle died, the servants died, and when Emperor Adrian came to power, paganism began to flourish in the country. Since Eustathius refused to sacrifice the gods, for this he was tortured and killed.