Yuriev Day – folk holiday in Rus', was called so for the reason that on this day Christian church remembers St. George the Victorious, protector and patron of Rus'.
According to tradition, this day began with a prayer to St. George, who was popularly considered the patron and protector of both Rus' and every family.
On this day there were many rituals rooted in pre-Christian Rus'.
The Dew of St. George's Day was considered healing and beneficial. If you roll naked on the grass and get everything wet, you will be strong and healthy all year. Such dew was collected in jugs and given to the sick during illness for a speedy recovery.
George was considered the patron saint of calves, so on this day their stalls were cleaned to a shine, and they themselves were given the most delicious treat. Beef was not allowed to be served.
On this day, they thanked the shepherds and gave them whatever gifts they could.
Yuriev Day is a holiday folk calendar, which is not included in the register of memorable and holiday dates of the Russian Federation.
Meanings of St. George for this holiday
Yuri-George was perhaps the most beloved saint in the East. Slavic peoples: even before the adoption of Christianity, he was considered the patron of agriculture and wild animals, the guardian of livestock. The name itself meant a farmer: ge - land, ergon - business. “Young Yegory, brightly brave, arms up to the elbows in red gold, legs up to the knees in pure silver. And in the forehead there is the sun, in the rear there is a month, at the ends there are passing stars.”- this is how the saint looked in the popular imagination, whose face, without any additions, was the coat of arms of the Russian state until the 15th century. IN Ancient Rus' his image was even embossed on coins.
Spring St. George's Day
November 26 is the date with which in Russia the exercise of the right of transition of peasants from feudal lord to feudal lord was associated (Peasant Exit), since by this time the annual cycle of agricultural work was completed and settlement of monetary and in-kind obligations of peasants in favor of their owners and for state taxes took place .
On a national scale, peasant output was limited in the Code of Laws of 1497 to a two-week period - one week before and after St. George’s Day. The Code of Law of 1550 confirmed this position.
The right of peasants to move was temporarily abolished with the introduction of reserved years (historians date the introduction differently - , or -), and then prohibited under Fyodor Ivanovich by legislation of the 1590s (extension of the ban to peasants and tax-paying townspeople). But a published law on the abolition of St. George’s Day has not yet been found. The Council Code of 1649, published under Alexei Mikhailovich, confirmed the ban on the transfer of the tax population and the attachment of peasants to the land (serfdom). In connection with these reforms, a saying appeared among the people “Here’s to you, grandma, and St. George’s Day!”, which reflected the grief of ordinary people. Nowadays the proverb is used in connection with disappointment from unfulfilled obligations.
see also
Notes
Literature
- Sokolova V.K. Spring-summer calendar rituals of Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians - M., 1979.
- Shapovalova G. G. Egoryevsky cycle of spring calendar rituals among Slavic peoples and associated folklore // Folklore and ethnography. - L.: 1974.
- Koleva T. Gergjovden at the Southern Slavs - Sofia, 1981.
Links
- St. George's Day // Russian Ethnographic Museum
Categories:
- Serfdom
- Agrarian society
- Holidays
- Orthodox holidays
- Russian folk holidays
- Folk Christianity
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See what "St. George's Day" is in other dictionaries:
- (autumn), November 26, old style, religious holiday, dedicated to Saint George (Egory, Yuri) the Victorious. According to tradition, on St. George’s Day, the transition of peasants from feudal lord to feudal lord took place (see PEASANT EXIT), because by this time... ...Russian history
JURIEV'S DAY, St. George's Day, many. no, husband (source). The right of transfer of serfs from one landowner to another, carried out in the fall, on the day of memory of St. George Yuri, November 26, old style. “Here’s to you, grandma, and St. George’s Day!” (government,... ... Dictionary Ushakova
St. George's day- day of remembrance of St. George the Victorious, holy great martyr of the Christian faith. This day is celebrated twice: on May 6, on the day of his death, and on November 9, on the day of the miracle. George the Victorious Born into a Christian family, in his youth he became famous for his... ... Fundamentals of spiritual culture (teacher's encyclopedic dictionary)
Today, December 9, 2017, we celebrate the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland, the International Day against Corruption and other events.
On December 9, 2017, the national holiday Yegoriy Autumn or St. George's Day is celebrated. On this day the Church remembers the anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Kyiv. This saint is popularly considered the lord of wolves and the patron saint of farmers. The holiday is called “autumn” because previously, under the old calendar, it fell in November.
According to tradition, on this day, if a person had a long distance ahead intkbbee road, it was necessary to serve a prayer for the safe completion of the journey. It was considered important to repay all debts before Yegori Osenny, otherwise you will be in debt for the rest of your life.
During the times of serfdom in Rus', during the week before the holiday and for another week after, peasants were allowed to move from one landowner to another. Then this freedom was canceled by Boris Godunov at the end of the 16th century, after which the proverb “Here’s St. George’s Day for you, grandmother,” appeared, expressing regret about the loss of freedom of choice.
According to signs, if a wolf howls near a dwelling, there will be severe frosts.
If neither a splash nor a rustle is heard from the well, then the whole winter will be quiet, and if the water in the well ripples, expect blizzards and blizzards.
Traditionally, on December 9, Russia celebrates the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland. The date of the holiday coincides with the establishment of the Order of St. George - the highest military award Russian Empire. In 2017, the holiday is celebrated for the 11th time.
On December 9, 1769, Catherine II approved the award - the Order of St. George the Victorious, which had 4 degrees of distinction and was awarded only to soldiers who showed courage and honor in battle. On this day the Feast of the Knights of St. George began to be celebrated. After the 1917 revolution, the event was canceled and the status of the order was lost. On August 8, 2000, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V. Putin No. 1463 “On approval of the Statute of the Order of St. George, the provisions on the insignia - the St. George Cross”, it was restored as a military award.
International Day Against Corruption
International Anti-Corruption Day is celebrated on December 9th. It was proclaimed by UN General Assembly resolution No. A/RES/58/4 of November 21, 2003. It was first celebrated in 2004. In 2017, the date is celebrated for the 14th time. Russia joins the international celebration.
Departmental Security Day railway transport Russia
The Day of Departmental Protection of Railway Transport in Russia is celebrated annually on December 9. This event dates back to December 9, 1921. The date has symbolic meaning. It is associated with the issuance of the decree “On the protection of warehouses, warehouses and storerooms, as well as structures on railways and waterways,” issued by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of Labor and Defense. The tradition of honoring departmental railway transport security workers has been preserved in the Russian Federation.
Athanasius, Vasily, George, Daniil, Ivan, Ilya, Innocent, Mikhail, Nazar, Nikolai, Peter, Tikhon, Julian, Yakov.
- 1884 - Levant Richardson of Chicago patented an improved version of roller skates.
- 1968 - Inventor Douglas Engelbart introduced the world's first computer mouse.
- 1989 - publication of the Kommersant newspaper was resumed.
- 2003 - International Anti-Corruption Day was celebrated for the first time.
- John Milton 1608 - English poet and thinker.
- Claude Louis Berthollet 1748 - French chemist.
- Peter Kropotkin 1842 - Russian anarchist, historian and geographer.
- Hannes Kolehmaien 1889 - Finnish athlete, multiple Olympic champion.
- Alexander Ivanov 1936 - Soviet poet, parodist and publicist.
- Mikhail Piotrovsky 1944 - Soviet and Russian scientist, orientalist.
- John Malkovich 1953 - American actor and producer.
Who invented St. George's Day, and who canceled it.
Many have heard the proverb “Here’s Grandma and St. George’s Day,” but few know what it means. Who is Yuri and why this proverb is associated with him, we will tell you in the article.
What is St. George's Day in history: definition
There are many interesting things associated with Saint Yuri or George, unusual stories. Originally, he was a peasant who lived in a wealthy family in the 3rd millennium AD. He grew up, became a handsome, intelligent, prominent young man and entered the service of the emperor. Soon he became his closest person and served faithfully. But at that time there was serious persecution of the peasants, and George could not stand it, and told the emperor about his origin. That he is also a peasant, but the emperor trusts him more than everyone else. He was outraged by the rot of the peasants. Of course, the emperor did not like this, he killed the young man. Since then, George began to be considered a saint, because he preached Christianity and spread it.
It is worth noting that St. George's Day was celebrated only in Russia. In other religions this day no longer exists. Based on this, St. George's Day is St. George's Day, which was celebrated on December 9, before the abolition of serfdom.
Many peasants were waiting for Yuryevo Day, because only on this day could they move from one landowner to another. That is, this is a kind of transition from one master to another. In this case, the peasant had to pay a certain amount. To be more precise, this is the money thanks to which he lived on the land of its owner in the house provided. The most interesting thing is that people call this Egor's Day. It is thanks to this that the expression “to cheat” arose, that is, to deceive. Not all landowners honestly settled with the peasants and paid them the money they deserved. Many of them were simply deceived and were paid meager sums in the end.
When, under which king was St. George’s Day introduced in Rus', and what were its rules? Who canceled St. George's Day, when is it celebrated: date
St. George's Day was created in 1497 by Ivan III. It was he who described and allowed the peasants to choose a new master one day a year and move to him. In fact, it was not one day, but a week before December 9, and a week after it. This period was chosen for a reason, because at this time all work in the fields ended, and winter was ahead. That is, in essence, there was no particular housework, and a person could make the transition at this time.
The cancellation of this day is somewhat more complicated, because the facts are vague. Many historians insist that Ivan the Terrible abolished St. George’s Day, finally enslaving the peasants. But some historians deny this fact and believe that this happened much later. This was done by his son under the influence of Boris Godunov. In fact, this day was not canceled in the documentation, but such conditions were created that the peasants were unable to pay these duties or move to another master.
The most interesting thing is that then many of the peasants were forced to flee from one owner to another. Because they treated them badly. But there were certain years in which some important and serious decrees were issued. During these years it was impossible to move from one master to another. Accordingly, earlier, all those who moved to other masters could be returned back to the previous master.
Often the owners were put on the wanted list, because the peasants simply ran away from one owner to another. If no one found the peasant within five years, he could already be considered completely free. They had no right to bring him back, but all these 5 years he had to hide somewhere with his family.
There is an opinion that this day was abolished in 1581. It was in this year that the church reform was adopted, which said that the churches more land not allowed. They do not have to grow any crops, grains or vegetables for themselves, and will now live only on the funds allocated to them by the rulers.
The fact is that it was on St. George’s Day that many of the peasants moved to the monastery lands. That is, on lands that belonged to the church, because it was much easier to work on them. Less tax was levied, they paid less for the use of land. The equipment for cultivating these lands was more modernized and the work turned out to be much easier. Therefore, most of the peasants fled from the landowners to the monastery lands.
It was this church reform that essentially abolished St. George’s Day, because there was no point in moving from one owner to another for the peasants. After all, almost all landowners tried to squeeze the maximum out of the peasant. At the same time, the amount that had to be paid to the master to transfer from him to another owner was increased. It is believed that Ivan the Terrible’s son Fyodor adopted this law, but many historians believe that this happened under the influence of Boris Godunov.
“Here’s your grandmother and St. George’s Day” meaning, meaning of phraseology
After 1581, the proverb “Here’s your grandmother and St. George’s Day” arose. It means the cancellation of hopes, bitter disappointment. Indeed, many people were waiting for this day to end their relationship with the master, who skinned them three times, and move to the monastery lands. But now there was nowhere to go, because these lands had been taken away from the monasteries and there was nothing to cultivate. There were practically no work options for the peasants other than going from one master to another.
Many historians believe that in fact the church reform had little effect, because then there were enough troubled times for peasants. There was a huge amount of land, few peasants, so the landowners themselves were interested in having peasants working for them and offering them pretty good conditions. But then cases of peasants leaving the master arose. That is, the peasants fled from one landowner to another.
St. George's Day was finally put to an end in 1649, under Alexander Mikhailovich. Then a document was adopted, which was called the Council Code. According to this document, the rights of peasants to move from one landowner to another were completely eliminated. Accordingly, it was from this date that the peasants became serfs, that is, forever attached to a certain land and landowner.
Scholars still debate when serfdom was founded. Many adhere to the version of the Council Code. But some consider this process to be more extended over time.
VIDEO: St. George's Day
