Honey Feast of the Saviour

Honey Feast of our Saviour
Honey Feast of our Saviour
Official name	Медовый Спас
Observed by	Orthodox Church
Liturgical color	Gold
Type	Orthodox
Date	August 1 (Ukraine); August 14 (O.S. August 1)
Frequency	Annual
First time	1164
Started by	Andrey Bogolyubsky
Related to	Honey harvest; Martyr of the Maccabees; Battle against the Bulgars in 1164

Last updated October 24, 2024

The Honey Feast of the Saviour or Wet Saviour known as the Honey Spas is the First Saviour Day of a triduum in honor of the Saviour, celebrated on August 1 in the Julian calendar which corresponds to August 14 in the Gregorian calendar. It is followed by the Apple Feast on August 6 and the Nut Feast of the Saviour on August 16 in the Orthodox calendar. On that day, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of three shrines: the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord , the image of the Savior and the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir. It is also the first day of the Dormition Fast. There are usually processions and water blessings on the rivers, during which people and cattle bathe in the consecrated water, and wells are consecrated.

Etymology

It is believed that the name Spas was given in honor of Jesus Christ the Savior. According to N. V. Solodovnikova, the word "Spas" which translates as "saved" means "saving yourself".^{[ citation needed ]}

Folk etymology on the other hand has rethought the name of the holiday in connection with the Papaver poppy, which ripens by this time.^{[ citation needed ]}

Liturgy

It is traditionally believed that the two weeks of the Spas festival from the Honey Saviour to the Nut Saviour were 'cut off' by God from Great Lent. In fact, these three feasts are known as Second Spas in comparison with the First Spas which are the major feasts of Jesus Christ.^[1]

The divine liturgy is usually celebrated with pump and circumstance and followed to a procession to the local well.^{[ citation needed ]}

After the liturgical celebration, young people dance with the song “Oh, poppy on the mountain”, («Ой, на горе мак») with playful round dances, the girls showered the boys with poppy seeds: singing: “Poppies, poppies, poppies, golden heads!” («Маки, маки, маковицы, золотые головицы!»).^{[ citation needed ]}

Origin

An agricultural cycle

The holiday of the Honey Saviour has a pre-Christian origin and is associated with harvesting of honey.^{[ citation needed ]}

The first Spas is called the Honey Saviour, because the honeycombs in the hives are usually already filled by this time, and the beekeepers begin to collect. It was believed that if the beekeeper did not break the honeycomb, then the neighboring bees would pull out all the honey. According to tradition, it was allowed to eat consecrated honey from that day.^{[ citation needed ]}

The festival also corresponds to the time when sowing winter rye usually begins.^[2]

Sergei Tokarev relates these traditions with an ancient ritual of consecrating the first fruits of the earth to a pagan deity.^[3]

A biblical tradition: the martyr of the Maccabees

In the Orthodox tradition, this festival is also the liturgical celebration of the woman with seven sons who died as martyrs in 166 BC according to the Second Book of Maccabees.^{[ citation needed ]}

A historical event: the battle of Andrei the Pious

The Honey Saviour Day was established following the recognition of miraculous signs during the battle of prince Andrey Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgars in 1164.^[4] According to tradition, ominous signs of victory came from icons of the Saviour and the Holy Virgin during this battle.^[5]

Traditions

Digging wells

The feast of the Honey Saviour is associated with a water festival called the small blessing of the water in contrast with the great blessing associated with the feasts of Easter and the Baptism of the Lord.^{[ citation needed ]}

Traditionally, it was at this time in Russia that new wells were consecrated and old ones were cleaned, and they also made a procession to natural reservoirs and springs to consecrate water. After the procession, they bathed in consecrated water and bathed livestock to wash away all diseases.^{[ citation needed ]}

The Serbs of the Leskovac consider this time to be suitable for digging and cleaning wells.^{[ citation needed ]}

Honeycomb crosses

During the festival, a special blessing is given to newly harvested honey. Honeycomb crosses are carved out and carried in procession. At private homes the newly blessed honey is laid out in beautiful cups and put in the center of the table. Russians usually put the honey in painted cups known as gzhel .^{[ citation needed ]}

It is also traditional to feed honey to relatives, neighbors and beggars. Blessed honey is also used to bake honey gingerbread, pies, buns, and the traditional drink of this holiday is a sbiten , consisting of water, honey and spicy herbs.^{[ citation needed ]}

Poppy seed rolls

On this day, the faithful bake poppy seed rolls. The festive meal often begins with this dish.^{[ citation needed ]}

Poppy milk is prepared for pancakes in a makitra with poppy-honey mass, in which pancakes are dipped. Poppy milk as prepared in a special dish, which in Russia is called a makalnik, in Ukraine - makitra, in Belarus - makater.^{[ citation needed ]}

Poppy seed rolls are mentioned in many Russian proverbs, sayings, choral songs and riddles: “A poppy seed roll with honey will make you will lick your mustache”, “When you eat the poppy, do not be angry”.^{[ citation needed ]}

Blini and pryanik are also part of the culinary traditions of this festival.^{[ citation needed ]}

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kutia</span> Sweet grain pudding, traditionally served in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine

Kutia or kutya is a ceremonial grain dish with sweet gravy traditionally served mostly by Eastern Orthodox Christians and some Catholic Christians predominantly in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, but also in parts of Lithuania and Poland during the Christmas – Feast of Jordan holiday season or as part of a funeral feast. The word with a descriptor is also used to describe the eves of Christmas, New Year, and Feast of Jordan days.

Palm Sunday is the Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Its name originates from the palm branches waved by the crowd to greet and honor Jesus Christ as he entered the city. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week; in Western Christianity, this is the beginning of the last week of the solemn season of Lent, preceding Eastertide, while in Eastern Christianity, Holy Week commences after the conclusion of Great Lent.

Holy Week is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. For all Christian traditions, it is a moveable observance. In Eastern Christianity, which also calls it Great Week, it is the week following Great Lent and Lazarus Saturday, starting on the evening of Palm Sunday and concluding on the evening of Great Saturday. In Western Christianity, Holy Week is the sixth and last week of Lent, beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding on Holy Saturday.

The Feast of Corpus Christi, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, is a liturgical solemnity celebrating the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; the feast is observed by the Latin Church, in addition to certain Western Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican churches. Two months earlier, the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is observed on Maundy Thursday in a sombre atmosphere leading to Good Friday. The liturgy on that day also commemorates Christ's washing of the disciples' feet, the institution of the priesthood, and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Epiphany, or Eid al-Ghitas, also known as "Theophany" in Eastern Christian tradition, is a Christian feast day commemorating the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the wedding at Cana.

The Feast of the Holy Cross, or Feast of the Cross, commemorates the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus. In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different celebrations which honor and celebrate the cross used in the crucifixion. Unlike Good Friday, which is dedicated to the passion of Christ and the crucifixion, these feast days celebrate the Cross itself, as the sign of salvation. It is chiefly celebrated by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Old Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans, and to a lesser extent by Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. The most common day of commemoration is September 14th for Churches that use the Gregorian calendar and September 27th for Churches that use the Julian calendar, Ge'ez calendar, or Coptic calendar.

Saint George's Day is the feast day of Saint George, celebrated by Christian churches, countries, regions, and cities of which he is the patron saint, including Albania, Bulgaria, England, Ethiopia, Greece, Georgia, Portugal, Romania, Syria, Lebanon, Castile and León, Catalonia, Alcoi, Aragon, Genoa, and Rio de Janeiro.

Wigilia is the traditional Christmas Eve vigil supper in Poland, held on December 24. The term is often applied to the whole of Christmas Eve, extending further to Pasterka—midnight Mass, held in Roman Catholic churches all over Poland and in Polish communities worldwide at or before midnight. The custom is sometimes referred to as "wieczerza" or "wieczerza wigilijna", in Old Polish meaning evening repast, linked to the late church service, Vespers from the Latin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August 1 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)</span>

July 31 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - Aug. 2

A twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper is traditionally prepared to commemorate Jesus' twelve disciples in Central, Northern and Eastern European cultures, especially those that were formerly part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and neighbouring countries. The tradition is especially cultivated in modern-day Poland, where alternatively thirteen meatless dishes on Christmas Eve are sometimes served.

Saint Martin's Day or Martinmas, and historically called Old Halloween or Old Hallowmas Eve, is the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours and is celebrated in the liturgical year on 11 November. In the Middle Ages and early modern period, it was an important festival in many parts of Europe, particularly Germanic-speaking regions. In these regions, it marked the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter and the "winter revelling season". Traditions include feasting on 'Martinmas goose' or 'Martinmas beef', drinking the first wine of the season, and mumming. In some German and Dutch-speaking towns, there are processions of children with lanterns (Laternelaufen), sometimes led by a horseman representing St Martin. The saint was also said to bestow gifts on children. In the Rhineland, it is also marked by lighting bonfires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Candlemas</span> Christian holiday

Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or the Feast of the Holy Encounter, is a Christian feast day commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple by Joseph and Mary. It is based upon the account of the presentation of Jesus in Luke 2:22–40. According to the Old Testament rules in Leviticus 12, a woman was to be purified by presenting a lamb as a burnt offering, and either a young pigeon or dove as sin offering, 33 days after a boy's circumcision. The feast falls on 2 February, which is traditionally the 40th day of and the conclusion of the Christmas–Epiphany season.

Radonitsa , also spelled Radunitsa, Radonica, or Radunica, in the Russian Orthodox Church is a commemoration of the departed observed on the second Tuesday of Pascha (Easter) or, in some places, on the second Monday of Pascha. In the Ukrainian tradition it is called Provody.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feast of Saints Peter and Paul</span> Annual liturgical feast on the June 29

The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul or Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which is observed on 29 June. The celebration is of ancient Christian origin, the date selected being the anniversary of either their death or the translation of their relics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints' Day</span> Christian feast day

All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether they are known or unknown.

A Paraklesis or Supplicatory Canon in the Byzantine Rite, is a service of supplication for the welfare of the living. It is addressed to a specific Saint or to the Most Holy Theotokos whose intercessions are sought through the chanting of the supplicatory canon together with psalms, hymns, and litanies.

Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern-Rite Catholic Christians, holy water is blessed in the church and given to the faithful to drink at home when needed and to bless their homes. In the weeks following the Feast of Epiphany, clergy visit the homes of parishioners and conduct a service of blessing by using the holy water that was blessed on the Feast of Theophany. For baptism, the water is sanctified with a special blessing.

The Apple Feast of the Saviour or Apple Spas is an Eastern Slavic folk name for the Feast of the Transfiguration, which is observed in August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dożynki</span> Slavic harvest festival

Dożynki is a Slavic harvest festival. In pre-Christian times the feast usually fell on the autumn equinox, in modern times it is usually celebrated on one of the Sundays following the end of the harvest season, which fall on different days in different regions of Europe.

The Nut Feast of the Saviour is the third Spas feast of the Saviour which celebrates the Holy Mandylion of the Lord. It is celebrated as the afterfeast of the solemnity of the Dormition. After the Honey Feast of the Saviour and the Apple Feast of the Saviour, the Nut feast is therefore placed on August 16 in the Julian calendar and on August 29 in the Gregorian calendar.

References

↑ Perova, Natalii︠a︡; Turnbull, Joanne (2006). War & Peace: Contemporary Russian Prose. Glas. p. 209. ISBN 978-5-7172-0074-5.
↑ "The Festivals of the Saviour". visitnovgorod.com. Retrieved 2022-08-16.
↑ Ivanits, Linda J. (1989-02-15). Russian Folk Belief. M.E. Sharpe. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7656-3088-9.
↑ The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. 1987. p. 25.
↑ Bunin, Ivan Alekseevich; Bunin, Ivan (2006-08-17). Night of Denial: Stories and Novellas. Northwestern University Press. p. 571. ISBN 978-0-8101-1403-6.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Perova, Natalii︠a︡; Turnbull, Joanne (2006). War & Peace: Contemporary Russian Prose. Glas. p. 209. ISBN 978-5-7172-0074-5.

[2] "The Festivals of the Saviour". visitnovgorod.com. Retrieved 2022-08-16.

[3] Ivanits, Linda J. (1989-02-15). Russian Folk Belief. M.E. Sharpe. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-7656-3088-9.

[4] The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. 1987. p. 25.

[5] Bunin, Ivan Alekseevich; Bunin, Ivan (2006-08-17). Night of Denial: Stories and Novellas. Northwestern University Press. p. 571. ISBN 978-0-8101-1403-6.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]