September 21 – Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Ospozhinka

September 21 — The birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, before the adoption of Christianity, Lada, the patroness of women’s health, the birth of children and the family hearth, and her daughter Lelya were revered on this day. In Rus’, on this day they celebrated the harvest festival, which was also called opozhinki or autumn. They celebrated it for several days, or even a whole week, it all depended on how rich the harvest turned out to be.

This holiday was considered the end of summer. It was customary to greet Mother Autumn with oatmeal bread: the eldest woman held the bread, and the rest sang songs and asked the Mother of God to “deliver the soul from toil and burdens, and sanctify their life.” Then the bread was broken into pieces and distributed piece by piece to those present. Each woman took her piece to the barn and fed it crumbs to the cattle.

September 21 — Christians began to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the 5th century

We read the first mentions of him in the Patriarch of Constantinople Proclus (439-446) and in the breviary (liturgical book) of Pope Gelasius (492-426). Saints John Chrysostom, Epiphanes and Augustine also write about the holiday. And in Palestine there is a legend that the holy Queen Helen, Equal to the Apostles, built a temple in Jerusalem in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We find the most ancient images of the events of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the 10th-11th centuries. These are icons and frescoes. For example, the painting of a 7th century Georgian temple in Ateni. This entire temple is dedicated to the Mother of God (the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary).

Even on this day, they went to the springs and prayed to the Blessed Virgin, because in the popular imagination, Her birth was associated with crystal clear water. The water in the springs was first blessed, and then collected and taken home to drink a sip in the morning.

September 21 — This holiday is popularly known as:

• Mistresses;
• Small Most Pure One;
• Boots;
• Ospozhin day;
• Second Autumns;
• Second meeting of autumn;
• Spasov (Aspasov) day;
• Apiary day;
• Lukov day;
• Onion teardrop day.

According to tradition, relatives came to visit the newlyweds on this day. The young family was supposed to show order in the yard and in the house, show off the goods acquired since the wedding, as well as household utensils and new clothes. The main things on the table were beer and a ruddy loaf, symbolizing the sun and the forces of nature. The guests praised the young couple and gave them instructions.

Signs of the day:

1. Whatever the day, such will be the autumn.
2. If cobwebs fall on the plants, then the weather will be warm in the coming days.
3. The red sky promises wind and rain.
4. Frosty frost on the grass means rain.
5. Aspen leaves fall to the ground “face up” — for a cold winter.
6. The more peeling there is on the onion, the harsher the winter will be.
7. Migratory birds fly low — a sign of cold weather.

And on this day they celebrate: