CrimeaPRESS reports:
Nikita the goose keeper, because people noticed that on September 28, wild geese go to warmer climes. True, people treated the birds cruelly on this day — they hunted them. It was believed that a goose shot today promised the hunter good luck for the whole year.
Domestic geese also suffered from people. They were cut and prepared for various dishes. The day usually ended with a celebration among the family at a festive meal.
And in some regions of Russia they believed that the boss of all the geese was Vodyanoy himself. Therefore, on St. Nikita’s Day they tried to appease him. They slaughtered the largest bird, cut off the head, left it at home (so that the brownie could feast on it), and threw the carcass into a pool or swamp. Sometimes the sacrifice was made behind the mill — it was believed that the waterman spent the winter under the millstone.
On September 28, the church honors the memory of Saint Nikita of Gotha, who lived around the 4th century near the Danube. When Nikita converted to Christianity, he immediately began preaching among his fellow Goths. The pagan Atanaric ruled here, whom Nikita openly denounced, which led to the martyrdom of the preacher. The pagans grabbed Nikita and began to force him to renounce his faith, but Nikita refused to do this. For this they decided to burn him, but the fire did not touch Nikita. Subsequently, the preacher was tortured anyway, and his relics were transferred to the territory of Constantinople.
Signs of the day:
- If the weather is clear, it will be windy the next day.
- Rainy weather means late and damp spring.
- The branches of the fir trees are lowered down — to the rain.
- There are many large anthills in the forest — a sign of a frosty winter.
- If the goose disappears, it means that a merman stole it.
- To see a flock of flying geese on this day is a sign of imminent cold weather.
- Geese fly high — to the big flood in the spring and frosts on Pokrov. They fly low — there will be little water in the spring. This sign also promises a quick snowfall.
- Wild geese sit on the ground — for a warm autumn. Standing on one leg means frost. Swimming in water means sudden warming.
- Ducks diving in the pond means rain.
- In order to show your favor to a person on this day, you need to give him a goose and drink a glass of wine with him.
- On his feast day, Saint Nikita should pray for the recovery of sick babies, as well as for the health of poultry.
- Eating turnips on September 28th will protect yourself from toothache for the whole year.
- Long journeys on this day will go well.
- Anyone born on September 28 will live a very long time.
Name days are celebrated today by: Leonid, Evdokia, Lyudmila, Maria, Gerasim, Stepan, Nikita, Yakov, Makar, Andrey.
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