winged wanderers
Dates of arrival and departure of birds
The dates of arrival and departure of various species of birds are not only of cognitive, but also of some practical interest. This is especially true for the arrival time. Timing depends on spring field work, and in many ways the fate of the crop. There are many signs among the people that predict the weather in spring and summer. Many of them are associated with birds. In the course of spring events in the life of birds, one can determine the rate of snow melting, plowing and sowing conditions, fodder yields, and much more. The friendly passage of birds speaks of the upcoming friendly spring; flight of flocks at high altitude - about the upcoming abundant flood; early arrival of cranes - about a friendly disputed spring; larks - about a warm spring. It was believed that if waterfowl arrived fat, not emaciated, the spring would be cold and long.
The arrival of some common bird species determined the start of many agricultural activities more accurately than calendar dates. For example, rooks flew in - it's time for gardeners to repair greenhouses, prepare seeds; larks appeared - get the beehives. Forty days after the arrival of starlings, they began to sow buckwheat, and with the advent of lapwings, turnip seeds were selected for sowing. After the arrival of swifts at the end of May, it was supposed to sow flax. The return of the birds was a sign of important changes in nature for the farmer. The arrival of larks meant the beginning of clearing the fields of snow, the appearance of numerous thawed patches. It coincided with the annunciation (April 7), when it was supposed to release birds from cages and bake "larks". After the arrival of finches, a slight cooling usually sets in. With the arrival of wagtails, rivers open up. The appearance of gulls means the imminent end of the ice drift, and the return of flocks of lapwings is associated with the beginning of a heavy flood.
The well-known Russian phenologist and naturalist D.N. Kaigorodov at the beginning of our century organized a whole network of correspondent-observers who collected data on the course of the spring arrival of common known bird species of the forest belt of Russia. Based on the analysis and generalization of more than 25 thousand observations, he marked on the map the places of the simultaneous appearance of rooks, storks, cuckoos and other birds in spring. The lines connecting these places - isochrones - show the features of the course of the spring migration, its speed, direction, connection with changes in air temperature and other meteorological conditions. For example, rooks return to all nesting sites in the European part of the USSR in just 5 weeks. They move from southwest to northeast at an average speed of 55 km per day. The cuckoo flies about 80 km per day, the white stork - 60 km. The more observations that form the basis of such calculations, the more accurate they will be. Unfortunately, the number of volunteer correspondents supplying accurate phenological data to ornithologists has now declined sharply. But they could bring invaluable benefits to both ornithologists and agricultural specialists, provide significant practical assistance in assessing changes natural conditions large areas over a number of years, in forecasting the timing of sowing and harvesting in different areas, etc. The school calendar of nature is a continuation and development folk calendar, still helping farmers in the struggle for the harvest. In the 1920s, the bird arrival calendar was carefully kept at the Biological Station for Young Naturalists in Sokolniki (Moscow) and transferred to the Agrometeorological Service Department of the USSR Ministry of Agriculture.
Information about the onset of various seasonal phenomena in nature, including the arrival and departure of mass bird species, received from institutions and individual correspondents, is regularly published by Hydrometeoizdat for periods of 10-12 years.
Each specific year, the dates of arrival of birds differ slightly from the long-term average: some are more, others are less. We can recommend a task for members of the biological circle: to trace when they first met this or that bird in the year, and compare this number with the average arrival date indicated in the table, and then think about how it can explain the shift. The arrival usually comes in several "waves", and between them there are periods of relative calm.
| arrival wave | bird species | Date of arrival (multi-year average) | Signs of spring or type of agricultural work |
| I | Rook | 18-19.III | Preparatory work |
| II | Starling | 30.III | Preparatory work |
| Finch | 30.III | short-term cooling | |
| lark | 1.IV | The appearance of thawed patches in the fields | |
| III | white wagtail | 5.IV | Beginning of ice drift |
| Lapwing | 5-7.IV | Preparing seeds for the garden | |
| Black-headed gull | 8.IV | End of ice drift | |
| Robin | 8.IV | End of ice drift | |
| IV | Redstart | 17.IV | |
| mallard duck | 18.IV | ||
| Crane gray | 18.IV | ||
| Chiffchaff | 18.IV | ||
| Pied flycatcher | 19.IV | Start of plowing | |
| V | Cuckoo | 27-30.IV | Noticeable warming |
| Ratchet warbler | 27-30.IV | Start of sowing vegetables (carrots, beets) | |
| Willow warbler | 27-30.IV | ||
| Wryneck | 29.IV | ||
| killer whale | 30.IV | sowing | |
| VI | Warbler-chernogolovka | 5.V | The height of the sowing season |
| gray flycatcher | 8.V | The height of the sowing season | |
| Nightingale | 8-10.V | The height of the sowing season | |
| mocking | 11.V | The height of the sowing season | |
| VII | Oriole | 16.V | Planting cucumbers, cabbage, peas |
| Shrike Shrike | 21.V | Sowing barley and flax | |
| Lentils | 21.V | Sowing barley and flax | |
| Landrail | 21.V | Sowing barley and flax | |
| Quail | 21.V | Sowing barley and flax | |
| swift | 21.V | Sowing barley and flax |
Observations of the passage of birds can be carried out at any point in the middle lane, but it is better on one of the small or large flyways - on the coast of a reservoir, a strip of forest among open spaces, in a valley, at the edge of a forest. You can observe the flight just on the outskirts of the city, and in the midst of it - from the window of a multi-storey building. It would be nice to have binoculars, at least theatrical ones. At a certain hour (preferably early in the morning) for several days in a row it is interesting to count how many and which birds were seen flying by. Such observations make it possible to follow the dynamics of the migration of several species (beginning, peak, end), the change of some birds during the migration by others, and the general end of an intensive migration. Of course, one must observe daily, patiently, and at the same time be able to distinguish common species of birds at a distance (Fig. 13).
Rice. 13. Silhouettes of birds in flight (according to Sungurov, 1960):1 - swift; 2- barn swallow; 3 - seagull; 4 - sparrow; 5 - crested lark: 6 - wagtail; 7 - bee-eater; 8 - starling; 9 - thrush; 10 - owl; 11 - sparrow hawk; 12 - partridge; 13 - jackdaw; 14 - pheasant; 15 - large curlew; 16 - rook; 17 - city swallow; 18 - snipe; 19 - kestrel; 20 - forty; 21 - lapwing; 22 - woodcock. In Catholicism, Christmas is one of the three important holidays, along with Easter and Pentecost. Every year on December 25, believers celebrate this solemn event - Catholic Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
It is known that Jesus was born at night, so the main celebrations are also held at night. The most popular question is when does this happen: from December 24 to 25, or from December 25 to 26, 2019?
In the Roman Catholic Church, the celebration is held according to the Gregorian calendar. on the night of December 24 to December 25. Several masses are held, such as the Midnight Mass, the Aurora Mass to welcome the Dawn, and the Afternoon Mass.
That is, when Catholic Christmas is celebrated in 2019:
* Date - December 25, 2019
* Celebration - on the night of December 24-25, 2019
Here's what should be on the New Year's table in the year of the Rat:
* So, pie on the table is a must! With cabbage, meat, fish or sweet - any pie is attractive to a rodent.
* Salads can be divided into portions into tartlets.
* We recommend stuffing a baked bird (goose, duck or chicken) with rice in addition to apples and prunes, and when serving, decorate it beautifully fresh herbs and nuts.
* Considering mouse preference, don't forget salad with grated cheese or cheese slices. Lean varieties of well-cooked and thinly sliced meats can also grace the table.
* Don't forget about fruits. A vase with beautifully arranged apples, pears and grapes will please the mouse very much.
* Dishes from potatoes and carrots. The owners of cellars, who store winter stocks there, know firsthand about the love of rodents for these vegetables.
How to decorate the New Year's table for 2020:
In the design of the table opt for white, in serving - crystal and silver cutlery. The tablecloth on the table is also desirable white, because the color of the coming year is white!On Soroca and on the fifth week of Great Lent, “larks” (in some places “waders”, “sparrows” or “nuts”) are baked from different flours, in most cases with outstretched wings, as if flying, and with tufts, as well as birds on nests. Nests with testicles are also made of dough. Children are willingly allowed to make "larks". When the larks are ready, several birds are planted on the windowsill, and the window is opened. In addition to larks, large pancakes are baked from unleavened dough and dried well; they are called "freshmen". They baked larks from sour dough. The birds were handed out to the children, and with a cry and ringing laughter, they ran to call for the larks, and with them the spring.
Download:
Preview:
Russians everywhere had a belief that on this day the first larks arrive from warm countries and bring spring with them. “March 9 (March 22) -“ sandpiper ”. On this day, the "misleading" lark should fly in. It happens that they arrive earlier, but those who are not misguided will fly in and follow [freeze]. Women put cakes under Magpies and make waders out of them, like birds, make them in the form of flying with tufts ”(Oryol province.). In Belarus and Ukraine, it was believed that on this day the first birds returned from Vyri and were looking for nesting places. In the Gomel region, the first birds were called "poreys".
On this day, the second "Invocations" of spring (according to A. Afanasyev, the first - on March 1, the third - on March 25 according to the old style).
According to folk beliefs, a household that has a swallow's nest will be happy. If any villager sees a swallow for the first time after winter, then he hands her a piece of bread - thus calling the harvest to his field.
On Soroca and on the fifth week of Great Lent, “larks” (in some places “waders”, “sparrows” or “nuts”) are baked from different flours, in most cases with outstretched wings, as if flying, and with tufts, as well as birds on nests. Nests with testicles are also made of dough. Children are willingly allowed to make "larks". When the larks are ready, several birds are planted on the windowsill, and the window is opened. In addition to larks, large pancakes are baked from unleavened dough and dried well; they are called "freshmen". They baked larks from sour dough. The birds were handed out to the children, and with a cry and ringing laughter, they ran to call for the larks, and with them the spring. For this, baked larks were attached to long sticks and ran out with them to the hillocks, or they planted the birds on wattle fences and, huddled together, shouted with all their strength:
Larks, come
Take away the winter to the student,
Bring warm spring:
We are sick of winter
We ate all the bread! - (Voronezh region)
They said: “Spring is red, what did you come with? - On a plow, on a harrow, on an oat sheaf, on a rye stack. With waders, they tumbled on the straw and said: “Sandpipers, larks, fly at the odonushki, peck at the pasha, choose the cockle.” Climbing onto a barn, a fence or throwing cookies, the children called out spring: “Sunny-bucket, look out the window. Sunny, dress up, Red, show yourself! Send us, Lord, a warm summer, a fruitful year and more light!
The rite of the call of springwas accompanied by special ritual songs - stoneflies:
You drink, drink, lark,
You sing your song, the sonorous song!
You sing, sing, little bird,
Whether about the warm side,
What about those about overseas lands,
Overseas alien lands,
Where the dawn converges with the dawn,
Where the red sun does not set,
Where the heat will never go away!
You binge - binge, lark,
Lark you are a spring guest,
About life-being about otherworldly!
After baked birds, they usually eat them, and their heads are fed to cattle or given to their mothers with the words: “Like a lark, it flew high, so that your flax was high. What a head my lark has, so that flax has a big head." In the Voronezh region, larks were left to cattle, God, the first person they met, and children. In with. Forty larks were baked in Petino, Khokholsky district, and everything had to be distributed to passers-by. Easter cakes were thrown through the barn. It was believed that where the Easter cake would fall, in which direction it would point, the girl would marry there.
With the help of such birds, a family seeder is selected on the Larks. To do this, a coin, a splinter, etc., is baked into the lark, and men, regardless of age, pull out a baked bird for themselves. Whoever draws lots, scatters the first handfuls of grains at the time of the beginning of sowing.
In the Kashirsky district of the Voronezh region they baked pancakes and pancakes. Donuts were made like magpies, tail up or like a cross, and they put money inside for happiness.
Well-known incantations are sometimes striking in their archaism, and one of the entries became a real sensation, because it mentions the ancient name of one of the Slavic pagan gods. The recording was made in Ukraine in the Volyn region in 1965. The song speaks of a nightingale that Dazhbog sends to fulfill a responsible mission:
Translation from Ukrainian
Oh you nightingale, you early bird
Oh, why did you leave Vyria so early?
I didn’t come out myself, Dazhbog sent me
From the right hand, and gave the key:
From the right hand - open the summer,
From the left handle - close the winter
On Soroka, housewives bake forty balls from rye or oatmeal flour - “forty saints - golden kolobans” and throw one ball out of the window every day, saying:
Jack Frost,
Here's bread and oats for you,
Now get out
I'll fix it, hello!
They believe that the frost, having eaten bread balls, will go away until next year and will not interfere with spring sowing.
In Ukraine, they tried to distribute forty bagels or eat forty dumplings.
On Soroka village boys run out early barefoot into the yard and try to throw forty wood chips over the roof.
Magpies in Kargopol are called Teterochny day: they curl, bake lace dough - in honor of the “golden-haired sun-high-sun” and spring equinox.
An eyewitness of this holiday in the Gomel district in the 1880s, the ethnographer Z. Radchenko, recalled: “Girls gather in the evening after finishing their work and become groups on the banks of the river, and if there is no river or lake, then outside the village, on the site, sometimes on the hill . These groups are installed at a far distance from one another; when one group has finished its verse and its last note has hardly died down, then in the distance another group continues its verse. Further, the ethnographer notes: “Vesnyanki differ from all other songs in their refrain, like a hoot (in the middle of a song), which sounds very beautiful when the song is heard in the forest, sweeps through the spring flood and responds with a distant echo. Doesn't this indicate a very ancient origin of stoneflies?
In Belarusian villages, they asked that day under the window: “Dze your chickens are carrying?”, To which it was necessary to answer: “At home.”
On this day, it is customary for Serbs to clean the house and yard, and burn garbage. Through the fire, all households must jump three times. In some localities, young men and women gather on the eve, kindle a fire after midnight, jump over it, sing and play until dawn. At dawn, they all go together to collect willow branches, with which they return home. Arriving home, they hit all household members with branches, saying: “To be healthy, like a bull, to be fast like a deer, to be plump like a pig, to grow like a willow.” In Aleksinatsky Pomoravie, on the day of the Forty Martyrs, people in the morning swallowed a dogwood flower, saying: “May I be healthy, like a dogwood!” On this day, young people who have lived together for less than a year - “babies”, receive guests in their house who bring gifts, kalachi (pancakes) made of wheat flour, anointed with honey, try to help with advice and praise the young. Kalachi symbolizes the good and sweet life of the spouses. The hosts show their skill and dexterity, how they know how to receive guests, to carry on a conversation. All women bake 40 rolls on this day, but the first ones are given to the young, and only then to the children.
Sayings and signs
The second meeting of spring. How many thawed patches, so many larks. If snow falls on this day, then the holy Easter week will be cold, if it is dry, then do not expect rain on Easter either.
If the birds began to build nests on the sunny side, then wait for the cold summer. The lark comes to the heat (to the grass), the chaffinch - to the cold, to the frost. Early arrival of cranes - by early spring. On Magpie day and night are measured. Winter ends, spring begins. Fly, sandpiper, from across the sea, bring Spring from captivity! A sandpiper flew in from overseas, brought spring out of the gate. A sandpiper flew in from overseas, brought water from captivity. The sandpiper is far from Peter's day. Arrival of mallards (malk ducks) and waders - for a quick warmth. On forty martyrs, forty birds fly. Forty pichugs make their way to Rus'. Forty saints - golden kolobans (buns). A crane on its tail brought a wagtail-icebreaker. I saw a starling - know: spring is at the porch. The crane brings the sun. If a tit sings on the Magpie, it is warmly telling fortunes. The lark comes to the heat (to the grass), the chaffinch - to the cold, to the frost. Early arrival of cranes - by early spring. The crane will fly to the crust - to a crop failure. The crane flew in - and brought warmth, it will melt in the swamp. Cranes fly low, quickly, silently - expect bad weather soon. Early swallows - to a happy, fruitful year. Sinka (wagtail) will fly in, so after 12 days the river will come up. If the birds began to build nests on the sunny side, then wait for the cold summer. "Saraki - do not poke close and cancer" (Belarusian). "Holy Saraki ў field sahu valakli" (Belarusian). Spring rides on a pockmarked mare: sometimes snow, sometimes rain. “Lastauki fly out of the lake” (Belarusian).
Magpies (Larks)
On the Larks day and night are compared. Winter ends, spring begins. Russians everywhere had a belief that on this day forty different birds fly from warm countries, and the first of them is a lark.
On Zhavoronki, "larks" were usually baked, in most cases with outstretched wings, as if flying, and with tufts. The birds were handed out to the children, and with a cry and ringing laughter, they ran to call for the larks, and with them the spring.
Baked larks were impaled on long sticks and ran out with them to the hillocks, or they impaled the birds on poles, on wattle sticks and, huddled together, shouted with all their strength:
"Larks, fly in,
Take away the winter to the student,
Bring the warmth of spring:
We are sick of winter
She ate all our bread!
After the baked birds, they usually ate them, and their heads were given to cattle or given to their mothers with the words: “Like a lark, they flew high, so that your flax was high. What a head my lark has, so that the flax was big-headed.
With the help of such birds, a family sower was selected on the Larks. To do this, a coin, a splinter, etc., were baked into the lark, and men, regardless of age, pulled out a baked bird for themselves. Whoever drew lots, scattered the first handfuls of grains at the time of the beginning of sowing.
However, analyzing a large number of popular beliefs and will accept, it can be assumed that the number forty and the name of this "presvyatka" could come to us from a pagan tradition, where just such a number of dark forces fetter the earth throughout the winter. On this day, from the very morning, the girls had to break forty planks, break forty ropes, for sure, symbolizing the forces that froze mother earth. By such actions, a person showed that he is stronger than evil Spirits, that spring and warmth fully support him.
In every house, the holiday began with the same morning standing of the hostess near the stove, which baked "sorak zhavarankaў". Cookies throughout our country have different regional or local characteristics. They baked it both in the form of pies, and in the form of dumplings, cakes, pancakes, dumplings and dumplings. Everything depended, first of all, on the traditions that existed in this local territory, on the fantasy of the hostess and on the material wealth in the family and the village as a whole. In any case, these cookies had a ritual significance, and as soon as the first lark was baked, they threw it into the fire - they sacrificed that part of the heavenly body that served man on Earth. They treated each other, their pets with such cookies, sometimes they buried them at the edge of the field, so that the land would bear fruit well and bring only an excess crop - an old dream of any peasant.
On Magpies, they did not forget about water, but rather about its third state - ice. On this day, children were even advised to lick and suck on ice cubes. A real ice cream day, if you bring old traditions to modern life. And what, you can arrange an ice cream day for your children, nephews in honor of spring. As for the icicles, they said this: “Kali on Saraka, I’ll fire the ox nap“ hell of melted icicles, then it’ll be good clear. up, but in the clear sky, who knows?"
A lot of signs are connected with Magpies among the people. For example, an early flood predicts a fast and early spring. Also importance had the arrival of long-awaited birds. If they arrived, then spring will soon arrive at a permanent place of residence. People say that birds bring real, warm spring on their wings. People were so looking forward to this time of the year that various rituals were specially invented, as it seemed, bringing such a long-awaited positive temperature closer. On the Belarusian lands, the custom was widespread to ride on a swing that day - "gushkatsa". As on previous holidays, we tried to fly as high as possible - so that flax grew higher.
Naturally, such an important and somewhat mystical event as the solstice could not do without fortune telling. They were guessing for a future marriage - they baked forty pies in a group, and each marked her own in some original way. Then, laying them out in one row on the threshold, they invited the dog into the house. Whose pie will be eaten first is the one who will marry first. It was also possible to put a penny in one of the pies, and whoever finds a penny in his pie will be happy for a whole year. So they said, they believed in it. So, if you are going to bake something with a penny, then warn the guests - so that they do not inadvertently choke.
And the last thing you can tell about this day is, of course, the weather forecast given by folk meteorologists. If there was a frosty day on Magpies, they said that you need to wait ahead forty frosts. If there was still snow on the roofs of houses up to Soroca, then there will be snow on Dobroveshchenna (late March - early April), and in some places it will lie up to Yury (late April - early May). So.
1 student: On March 22, Orthodox Russia celebrates the feast of the Magpies in honor of 40 martyrs. There is a belief that on this day 40 different birds fly from warm countries. And the first of them is a lark. On the "Magpie" figurines of larks were baked.
2 student: The lark is one of the pure birds of God. There is a legend about the origin of the lark: God threw a lump of earth high up and turned it into a bird gray as earth. Lark.
3 student: Like a bird of God, the lark was forbidden to be eaten, and killing was considered a great sin. The lark was called the singer of the Mother of God.
4 student: The lark himself says this about himself: “I fly high, I sing songs, I glorify Christ.”
5 student: According to legend, larks took out thorns from the crown of thorns of the crucified Christ. Rising high into the sky, the lark spends time in prayer. Then, suddenly falling silent, it soars even higher and flies to confession to God himself.
Leading: Poets and composers dedicated their works to this inconspicuous gray bird.
8 student: The arrival of the lark in all countries was associated with the arrival of spring.
Adults baked larks from dough and gave them first to cows - in gratitude for milk and butter; then to sheep - for warm boots, mittens and sheepskin coats, and then to children. AND sentenced:
Girl (in the hands on the towel a plate with baked larks):
Oh you larks, larks,
Fly in the field, bring health:
The first is cow
The second is sheep
The third is human.
9 student: And the children ran into the street and shouted:
Larks, larks,
Fly to us
Bring us a warm summer
Carry away the cold winter from us;
We are tired of the cold winter,
Hands, feet frostbitten.
10 student: And young boys and girls went out into the field, danced round dances and glorified spring:
11 student: Spring, red spring!
Come, spring, with joy, with joy.
With tall flax,
With a deep root
With abundant bread.
12 student: The sun is clear
It's hot, it's hot.
And gold everywhere
Spilled, spilled!
13 student: Streams on the street
All murmur, all murmur.
The cranes are chirping
And they fly and they fly.
14 student: Snowdrops have blossomed
Yes in the woods, yes in the woods.
Soon the whole earth
To be in a wreath, to be in a wreath.
15 student: Oh, the sun-father,
Please, please!
Freak, freak!
Great Lent Russian Orthodox Church magnifies the holiday - 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, which falls on March 22. It was on this day that there was a tradition to bake 40 birds - larks from the dough. Orthodox housewives kneaded the dough in the evening, got up early in order to have time to prepare everything for the liturgy.
However, this is a pagan custom and has nothing to do with the Christian holiday. Among the ancient Slavs, it coincided with the day of the vernal equinox, when winter gives way to the coming spring. Our ancestors believed that on March 22, 40 birds arrive from the south, and the first of course are larks.
Therefore, the holiday has several names - Magpies, Forty Magpies, Equinox, Larks, Name Day of the Lark, Sandpipers, Teterochny Day. IN Ancient Rus' especially prepared for the arrival of warm days and tried in every possible way to help drive away the harsh winter. Feathers from lean dough were given to children.
The children planted them on long pegs and ran, inviting spring with ritual songs - stoneflies. Having run enough, they ate the buns, and the heads from them were taken to the cattle. A few birds were left to be planted outside the window. In the family circle there was a custom to choose a sower. A torch was baked into the lark, and all the men, from young to old, chose a bird for themselves. Whoever gets such a bun will be the first to sow the field.
The history of the Orthodox holiday
In Orthodoxy folk custom the lark oven acquired a deep spiritual meaning. 40 birds are the sinless souls of the martyrs of Sebastia, aspiring to the Creator. It is known for certain that they were known as the most fearless defenders of Rome.
Zealous guardians of the faith of Christ, they refused to participate in pagan rites, for which they were rewarded with unearthly grace.
An event took place in 313 near the Armenian city of Sebastia. Agricolaus, the commander of the valiant army, was known as an ardent pagan, and for such insolence he imprisoned the martyrs. But the Lord did not leave His children, and the undressed sufferers set off on their last earthly journey with a prayer on their lips.
On a frosty night they stood in the icy water of the Armenian lake, reading psalms. In order to force the righteous to renounce the Savior, a bathhouse was built nearby in order to break their will, faith and steadfastness. Much to my dismay, this is exactly what happened. Without enduring bullying, the man of little faith rushed there and, with the connivance of the All-Seeing, died near the threshold. Jesus Christ strengthened God's chosen ones: "Believe in the Kingdom of God, even if you die, you will live."
The torment continued. The guards had long since fallen asleep, but Aglaius could not close his eyes. The pagan marveled at what unknown power helps to endure such suffering. And then he saw melted ice and 39 crowns over the heads of the martyrs. The cowardly warrior did not receive a blessed halo.
The believing Aglaius descended into the waters of the lake and began to pray for only one thing - to be honored to suffer in the name of God. The enraged torturers, seeing in the morning that they were still alive, out of anger broke the legs of the Christians. They put the saints on chariots to burn them.
The youngest martyr was still alive and was left to die. But the mother carried the tormented son after the chariot and asked him, in the name of salvation, to endure everything to the end. The flesh of the martyrs was burned, the remains were thrown into the water in order to destroy even the memory of them.
Three days later, the sufferers of Christ commanded in a dream the pious Peter, Bishop of Sebaste, to collect the holy bones. At night, in the water column, the imperishable relics shone with an unearthly light, and they were laid to rest with piety.
March 22, according to church custom, is celebrated as the Day of all Orthodox men. 40 Martyrs of Sebaste is a Christian holiday, which is very revered among believers and the priesthood.
During the Paschal Fast on this day, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated, food is allowed to be relaxed, vegetable oil can be eaten. If the celebration falls on Wednesday, Friday of the Week of the Cross, the liturgy is postponed.
At the beginning of the 13th century, the Orthodox Tsar of Bulgaria Ivan Asen defeated the Gentiles, capturing a significant part of the army. In his victory, he saw the help and intercession of forty martyrs. For the victory, the ruler built and consecrated a church in the name of the great saints, which is now located in the city of Tarnovo (Bulgaria).
Recipe for larks from lean dough
2 kg flour, 50 g yeast, 250 g vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. sugar, 0.5 l of water, a whisper of salt, raisins, sweet strong tea.
The yeast piece is rolled into a long tourniquet, which is divided into 40 equal parts. Then each such piece, with the help of a rolling pin, is turned into small ropes, 15 centimeters each.
The bundles are tied in a knot, one end is shaped in the shape of a bird's head, raisins are inserted instead of eyes. Small incisions are made on the sides of the bun with a knife - wings, tail are crushed with fingers. For juiciness, finished products are smeared with sweet strong tea.
Bon appetit!
Hello, dear visitors of the Orthodox website "Family and Faith"!
On the spring equinox, March 22, on the day of remembrance of the saints, there is an ancient Slavic holiday - Larks, which many no longer remember. The Feast of the Lark has its own interesting meaning, its own history and its own customs.
In Rus', it was believed that it was during the spring equinox that larks arrive from warm countries, and after them all migratory birds. It was on March 22 that spring finally replaced winter, and the day was measured against the night. And this event meant that field and other economic work could begin. The people themselves associated the arrival of larks with the beginning of arable work, saying: "The lark plows the sky." The reason is in the peculiarities of the flight of larks - first up, and then down.
Due to the fact that the larks, in fact, led all the other birds, the Lark's holiday was also called "Magpies". But the name "Magpie" was given not in honor of forty birds, but in honor of the forty martyrs of Sebaste, whose memory is celebrated on March 22.
These forty martyrs were executed for their faith, thanks to which they entered history. And, although the arrival of the larks had nothing to do with the death of the Martyrs of Sebastia, the number "forty" was firmly entrenched in the feast of the Lark. The people even said: "The lark brought forty birds behind him."
The main attribute of the Lark holiday was the baking of unleavened dough buns in the form of larks. Both children and adults were involved in baking, because this is a great opportunity for the whole family to get together for an interesting activity, to discuss the meaning of the festive event, to please their loved ones.
The Feast of the Lark was also accompanied by various weather signs. There was such a sign for the summer: if after the holiday it will be frosty for another 40 days in the morning, you can wait for a hot summer. Another sign for the summer urged to pay attention to the nesting of birds. If the nests curled on the sunny side, a cold summer could be expected.
The following sign helped determine the weather for Easter: if it snows on the Lark's holiday, then the Easter week is likely to be cold; if the weather is dry on the Feast of the Lark, there will be no rain on Easter either.
Despite the fact that the Lark holiday is not as popular among the people as, for example, Shrovetide, this does not make it less beloved by those who know about it. If only because it’s always nice to enjoy delicious freshly baked cookies and enjoy the arrival of spring, not only on the Lark’s holiday!
P tick from the test can be done in different ways. For example, roll out a small tourniquet and tie it into a knot. Form one end of the knot in the form of a head with a beak, attach eyes - raisins, or berries from jam, or nuts. The second end must be flattened and cut with a knife, the so-called "feathers".
Another option: fashion a head with a beak from a piece of dough, roll out the rest, cut into 3 parts - two wings and one tail. Fold the wings one on top of the other, and mark the feathers on the tail.
The easiest way is to use store-bought puff or regular yeast dough. If you want to make the dough yourself, then here are a few recipes:
Sweet honey dough recipe
1 st. flour 0.5 tbsp. hot water 2-3 tbsp. spoons of liquid honey 2-3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil a little salt
Dilute all the ingredients, except flour, in water, add flour and knead a stiff dough, mix well and add more flour if necessary.
Recipe for lean yeast dough
(which is also suitable for pies)
For 2 st. flour - 1 tbsp. warm water 1 tsp. instant yeast 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. l. sugar a pinch of salt
Mix the ingredients and let the dough rise a little. To lubricate larks and other sweet products, before planting in the oven, use sweet strong tea.