Holiday May 8, 2016 - Red Hill (Anti-Easter)

In 2016, Krasnaya Gorka falls on May 8. Red hill- This is the first Sunday after Easter, as well as the last day of Easter week.

Red Hill is a popular spring and, first of all, youth holiday. With the spread of Christianity, it was dedicated to the first Sunday after Easter - the so-called St. Thomas Day. Red Hill celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. As soon as the ground was freed from snow, and these were primarily small hills, popularly called hillocks, youth festivities, children's games, round dances, and songs immediately unfolded. This is where the name of these slides “Red” comes from, which means beautiful!

In Slavic dialects, the word “red” is used in the meaning of “beautiful, blooming, cheerful, joyful,” in contrast to red, red, scarlet, crimson. Spring and summer itself are called red because the weather is clear and nature appears in all its glory. Red slide means beautiful in location and entertaining in games. In many places, the hills or hillocks on which people gathered in the spring were called red hills.

According to the folk calendar, on this day all the girls and young women, having stocked up on food supplies, gathered at some favorite place on the village street and sang spring songs (“called out” or “flirted” to spring), danced in circles and arranged various games and dancing.

Red Hill was considered a girl's holiday, and since weddings took place on this day and intensive matchmaking took place, every single girl came to the games. It was even considered a bad omen if any guy or girl sat at home on Krasnaya Gorka.

Red Hill is a triumph of love, the emergence of feelings and hopes. Previously, on Red Hill girls and boys met, they chose their betrothed and in a playful, humorous manner announced and showed their affection and sympathy.

On Red Hill It was customary to dress up in the most beautiful outfits and clothes. Krasnaya Gorka was considered a girls' holiday, and since weddings took place on this day and intense matchmaking took place, every single girl came to the games. Girls and women tried to attract the attention of guys in different ways, some of them wove colorful ribbons into their hair, and some tied painted scarves. Everyone wanted to stand out from the large number of girls.

Staying at home and not going out on this day was simply not permissible. It was believed that a young man or girl who stayed at home during all the festivities would not find a mate, or he would get the last bride, and she would get a worthless groom, since the best ones would be “taken apart” by others, and what’s even worse, misfortune would happen to the disobedient ones. The godfather or girl, Lada, was in charge of the fun. She was the best expert on song lyrics and sayings, led round dances, sang songs, and remembered the rules of games.

Holiday Red Hill. Rituals on Krasnaya Gorka

In some villages of the Vladimir region, special rituals were performed on Fomino Sunday. After mass, women gathered somewhere in an open place on the street, and at some distance from them all the young couples stood and began to call the women to them. In response to this call, the women began to sing songs and slowly approach the “newlyweds,” who gave them a piece of pie and one egg.

Red hill in the northern Volga region it was called Klikushino Sunday, since on this day fellow villagers went to the houses of the newlyweds, called out to them, and for this they brought them an egg and a pile.

In the Penza region on Red Hill the “plowing of the village” was organized. In the dead of midnight, all the village women walked with songs to the outskirts, where three young women with a plow and three old women with an icon of the Kazan Mother of God were waiting for them. Here the girls unbraided their braids, and the women took off their headscarves, and the procession began. Several women sat on boards laid on top of the plow, several girls grabbed the plow from behind to hold it, and the rest, holding tied ropes, dragged the plow in such a way as to circle the entire village with a furrow and make a cross with the plow at the intersections. In front of the procession, old women walked with an icon and prayed that the village would not suffer any disasters and misfortunes and that these misfortunes would stop behind the furrow and not dare to cross it. The guys joined later, when the women, having made a circle and returned to their original place, were having a feast. It lasted until the third rooster (3 o'clock in the morning), and then everyone went home, since it was considered a sin to walk after the rooster.

This Sunday we celebrated spring in the Kaluga region. A straw effigy mounted on a long pole was placed on a hill; Women and men gathered around him. After the songs, they sat around and treated each other to scrambled eggs. In the evening, the effigy was burned with songs and dances. From the round dance games of Krasnaya Gorka, the sowing of millet was known throughout Russia. Red hill was not a fixed holiday of one day. The holiday lasted for several days and therefore was a real event in the lives of young people.

Wedding on Krasnaya Gorka

On Red Hill Traditionally, this was the peak of weddings, since these are the first days when the Church, after a long nine-week break, begins to celebrate the sacrament of marriage. It is believed that a wedding played at this particular time will be the key to a long, happy family life.

Antipascha

"Antipascha" is a Greek word, and the prefix "anti" does not mean "against" but "instead of." Thus, “Antipascha” is a holiday “instead of Easter,” as if compensating, replenishing it.

“Red Hill” is the popular name for the first Sunday after Easter, which in the church dictionary is called Antipascha. Antipascha is followed by St. Thomas Week, which, in fact, is called Red Hill. This week the church remembers the Apostle Thomas, who wanted to personally verify the resurrection of the Savior, not believing the disciples who told him the wonderful news. According to the gospel story, the resurrected Christ appeared before Thomas so that he could put his fingers into his wounds and see with his own eyes that a miracle had happened. “And do not be an unbeliever, but a believer,” the Savior said to Thomas (Luke 20:27). By the way, that’s why people called a person who doubted something “Doubting Thomas.”

Antipascha is always celebrated on the eighth day after the Holy Resurrection of Christ. On this day, the memory of Christ's resurrection is renewed, which is why Antipascha is called the “week of renewal.” The renewal of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is associated with the Apostle Thomas, therefore on this day the Church remembers the meeting of the Apostle Thomas and the risen Christ. Thomas was not among the apostles who saw Christ immediately after the Resurrection. “Unless I see the wounds of the nails in His hands and put my hand into His side, I will not believe,” Thomas said about Christ. This does not mean that he doubted that Christ was the Savior, the Son of God. Rather, it is evidence of how much the apostle longed to experience an encounter with the risen Jesus Christ. Feel the Easter joy and triumph yourself, personally, and not from the words of your neighbors.

The Apostle Thomas began to symbolize doubt and mistrust. People even use the term “Doubting Thomas.” It would be more correct to call him not a person who doubts everything, even the most obvious, but one who seeks to verify the truth or, conversely, the falsity of certain facts from his own experience. After all, it is one thing to use the testimony of others, even those closest to you, and quite another to know something from your own experience.

Saint Thomas the Apostle was born in the Galilean city of Pansada and was a fisherman. When he heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, he left everything, followed Him and became one of the 12 apostles. On the eighth day after the Resurrection, the Lord appeared to the Apostle Thomas and showed His wounds. “My Lord and my God!” - exclaimed the holy apostle (John 20:28). “Thomas, who was once weaker than the other apostles in the faith,” says St. John Chrysostom, “by the grace of God became more courageous, zealous and tireless than all of them, so that he went around with his preaching almost the entire earth, not being afraid to proclaim the Word of God to the savage peoples.” Church Tradition tells that Saint Thomas the Apostle founded Christian Churches in Palestine, Mesopotamia, Parthia, Ethiopia and India. For the conversion to Christ of the son and wife of the ruler of the Indian city of Meliapora (Melipura), the holy apostle was imprisoned. He was brutally tortured and killed by being pierced with five spears. Parts of the relics of St. Thomas the Apostle are kept in India, Hungary and Mount Athos.

Spring has long been considered a symbol of awakening and the beginning of a new life. Indeed, it is a joy to watch how nature blossoms, the sun warms, and the air is filled with the aromas of young plants. Our pagan ancestors were looking forward to the coming of spring and organized the Red Hill festival - a cheerful national celebration, with round dances, songs and fortune telling. It is noteworthy that the date of this holiday is “tied” to Easter, so it changes every year. So many people are wondering in advance what date Red Hill falls on in 2016.

Red Hill in 2016 - what date to celebrate?

The annual date of the Red Hill celebration is the first Sunday after Easter. Since Easter falls on May 1 in 2016, Red Hill will begin on May 8.

Folk traditions on Krasnaya Gorka In the old days, holiday traditions, rituals and various “magic” rituals were strictly observed. On Krasnaya Gorka, after visiting the church, everyone was treated to colored eggs and other generous treats. And then the fun began, games and chants (spring songs) were arranged.

For example, among the ancient Slavs, the game “burners” was considered popular, for which it was necessary to divide boys and girls in pairs. From the remaining “single” guys, a “burner” was chosen, who had to catch up with one of the scattered couples and “break” her. The one left without a pair began to catch up with the other.

According to custom, a young man could pour water on his chosen one and then woo her. And if after such a “procedure” the girl was not wooed, it was considered a disgrace for the girl.

According to tradition, the following ritual was carried out on Krasnaya Gorka: women harnessed to a plow walked a circle around the village. The peasants believed that this ritual provided protection from drought, crop failure and other troubles. It was considered a particularly successful sign if the circle closed in the form of a cross.

Folk traditions on Krasnaya Gorka 2016

Fortune telling on Krasnaya Gorka was carried out for the betrothed, for marriage and for fate. Here are the most popular love fortune telling on Krasnaya Gorka.

Fortune telling on eggs in Krasnaya Gorka

We take a chair and put a board (length 1 meter and width 25 cm). We take two painted eggs with initials written on them - ours and the chosen one. Place the eggs together on the board, carefully observing the result. If eggs:

• rolled down and stopped next to you, then you are destined to live your life with your loved one in love and harmony
• rolled in different directions, then fate is against your union
• “along the way” they stopped at different points (one reached the end, the other “ran away” to the side) - the owner of the second egg will soon betray love and leave

Fortune telling on buckwheat porridge in Krasnaya Gorka

On Krasnaya Gorka, buckwheat porridge was used not only for food, but also for fortune telling. For this purpose, a spoonful of porridge was placed in a small linen bag and left under the bed. If you have porridge in the morning:

• remains crumbly, but there are no black particles - expect a quick wedding
• turned into a lump (without black particles) - uncertainty and difficulty in relationships with your loved one
• crumbles, but with black inclusions - no changes are expected on the love “front”

Find out what date Parents' Day is celebrated in 2016.

Wedding on Krasnaya Gorka - folk customs

The ancestors believed that a marriage concluded on Krasnaya Gorka would become prosperous and strong. But those who remain at home that day run the risk of not meeting their husband or wife. Therefore, “single” young people tried not to miss the holiday festivities. So it was on Krasnaya Gorka that most matchmaking and weddings took place.

Today, the newlyweds, after painting at the registry office, take festive rides around the city, visiting various memorable places. But a similar custom existed among the ancient Slavs. Previously, it was believed that young people should go one way to church, and another to celebrate their wedding. Thus, the newlyweds “confused” their tracks, creating protection for themselves from all evil spirits.

The wedding on Krasnaya Gorka was decorated in red and white colors. Instead of the usual white wedding dress today, the bride in Ancient Rus' was dressed in a red outfit.

Red Hill in 2016 is a great occasion to remember ancient traditions and organize fun celebrations with songs, games and round dances. Spring came!

Red Hill 2016 is a bright, cheerful and optimistic holiday, part of a galaxy of celebrations dedicated to the arrival of spring and the praise of warmth, sun and the awakening of nature. In addition, on this day it is customary to remember the wondrous Resurrection of Jesus and rejoice at this great event in every possible way.

Red Hill 2016: what date is it usually celebrated?

Each year the holiday falls on a different day. To find out exactly what date Red Hill falls, you need to add 7 days to the date of Easter. In 2016, the cheerful celebration falls on the first ten days of May, namely on the 8th. People call this beautiful spring Sunday Fomin. The name was formed thanks to biblical texts, which say that exactly a week after the miraculous Resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciple Thomas, who until the last did not believe in the divine return of the Savior to life.

Interesting folk traditions on Krasnaya Gorka

According to tradition, peasants invited a rich and bountiful harvest to their fields on Krasnaya Gorka. For this ritual, the female population of the village harnessed themselves to one large plow and drew a deep furrow around the entire village. If in the end the junction of the edges resembled a church cross, it was worth waiting for a fertile and gracious season. After performing this ritual, all residents gathered together and walked until late in the central village square.

To gain happiness and prosperity, painted paints were lowered to the ground directly from the festive table along a small wooden hill. If the egg rolled exactly to the finish line, its owner would have a very happy, optimistic year, filled with luck and pleasant events.

On this day, young people were strictly forbidden to wander around the streets or sit at home. It was believed that such behavior would bring sadness to a person in the future and lead to long-term loneliness. But the public demonstration of their talents and abilities was encouraged in every possible way, and the most skillful and active were rewarded with tasty, pleasant gifts.

On Krasnaya Gorka, bonfires were lit in villages in honor of the pagan creature Dazhdbog. Young people gathered on a mountain or hill, danced in circles, sang songs and cast a magic spell invoking the favor of the great Yaril. And after the ceremony, everyone began to eat a hearty and tasty festive meal.

Love fortune telling on Krasnaya Gorka

Young girls on Krasnaya Gorka always performed fortune telling. A board measuring approximately 25x100 cm was placed on a stool. They wrote their name on one painted egg, and the name of their beloved on the second. Then the eggs were simultaneously released across the board and their behavior was carefully observed:

• if both eggs rolled together until the very end, then the girl and the guy were destined to be together until the end of their days;
• if the eggs diverged in different directions from each other, then the couple was facing an inevitable separation;
• If one egg rolled to the side, and the second reached the end, then one of the two lovers was going to abandon his other half.

Fortune telling using porridges was no less popular. During the festive meal, they took a spoonful of buckwheat from the pan, put it in a woven bag and left it under the bed overnight. The morning after Krasnaya Gorka, the porridge was carefully examined:

• clean, crumbly buckwheat without dark inclusions foreshadowed an imminent wedding;
• porridge stuck together in one lump meant uncertainty and a difficult relationship with a loved one;
• the soft porridge interspersed with black grains indicated that no love relationship was in sight in the near future.

Is a wedding on Krasnaya Gorka successful?

After Easter, the church again opened the season of marriages, which were strictly prohibited throughout Lent. A wedding on Krasnaya Gorka promised the newlyweds a happy, comfortable life, full of love, mutual understanding and respect. On this beautiful day, a huge number of guys and girls tried to get married, and a real wedding crowd began in the churches. Today, this tradition has not been forgotten, and for Krasnaya Gorka 2016, entire lines of people wishing to get married, get married and find guaranteed family happiness gather in central churches.

What date is Red Hill

The magic that reigns in spring always arouses great interest among those who honor Russian traditions, and it is not surprising that even today many people ask what date the solemn meeting of spring will take place this year - Krasnaya Gorka 2016. There are many examples in history when pagan rituals were assimilated with Christian ones customs, this happened this time too.

Red Hill in 2016 what date

In the old days, our ancestors always celebrated the onset of each season, although their date may change. For example, Red Hill 2016 is marked on the calendar on May 8, a week after Easter, on the day when the memory of the resurrection of the Savior is renewed. With the arrival of the mistress of spring, joy reigns on earth, life begins to boil, and nature delights with a riot of colors and intoxicating aromas.

Red Hill: date

Traditions on Krasnaya Gorka

Pagan rituals on this day were traditionally dedicated to the powerful gods who rule the planet. The god Yarilo, who commands the Sun itself, was especially loved, under whose red rays the mountains were exposed, the snow melted, and birds flew in, which is reflected in the name of the holiday. On this day, according to tradition, everyone should have fun from the heart and actively wait for the appearance of spring. The queen of the season attracts the attention of beautiful music, elegant clothes, bright accessories and dancing. The most beautiful singer is chosen as the soloist, who was supposed to charm the distinguished guest with her spring aria. The same games and round dances, as, for example, in the Moscow Svyatoslav Foundation, will be held on our land this year.

According to religious canons, Bright Week ends on Sunday with a service, after which parishioners celebrate the date with a rich feast, where the tables are laden with rosy pies and colored eggs. Among the nuances inherent in welcoming spring was the predominance of round-shaped dishes, symbolizing the heavenly body, the custom of presenting all guests with painted eggs, and the “I believe it or not I believe it” game, as a reminder of Thomas the Unbeliever, to whom Jesus Christ himself appeared on this day. Red Hill 2016, which is experiencing a rebirth, also promises to be truly fiery and generous.

Red Hill: what date, date

Fortune telling on Red Hill

In the spring, the thoughts of all living beings on the planet rush to the search for love, so it is not surprising that fortune telling is performed on marriage and love. You don’t even have to go far to buy talismans and magic items - everything you need is on the table.

1. Fortune telling on relationships with the opposite sex on eggs. For the ritual you will need 2 paints, which must be of different colors or marked with the initials of the lovers. In the yard, you should make a low improvised slide from available materials and throw eggs over it. The development of future events is predicted by the trajectory of their movement.

   In particular:

   • If both objects rolled down the slope side by side and reached the finish line unharmed, then the partners will have a happy life.
   • If the eggs choose a different route, then fate will separate this couple.
   • The egg that fell first from the track symbolizes a person who will run away from his half, and the second one, which has reached the end, speaks of the future suffering of the abandoned spouse due to lost love.
   • A cracked shell indicates regret over lost feelings. If the colors are damaged, then both will be unhappy in the marriage.
   • By the distance that the eggs traveled together, one can judge the time of the event, which can occur both in youth and at sunset.
2. Buckwheat oracle. In the old days, this porridge was prepared on holidays, served with suckling pig or mushrooms and butter. A spoonful of porridge, secretly transferred from the table to a handkerchief made of natural fabric, and placed under the bed at night, will tell all the secrets in the morning:
   • the absence of black and spoiled grains indicates a favorable prognosis,
   • a sticky lump warns of a difficult relationship with a partner,
   • the presence of damaged grains and the sticky form of the porridge indicates the individual’s unpreparedness for a romantic relationship.

Wedding on Krasnaya Gorka

These days, this wonderful holiday is being revived before our eyes and is marked by an unprecedented number of weddings and church weddings. If someone has not yet met their fate, then a lucky chance will definitely come along at the party. A lonely person should not stay at home, as he may forever end up on the list of old maids or bogeys. In Rus' there was a belief that those couples who enter into a marriage on Krasnaya Gorka will live in joy and harmony. The only unfavorable month among earthlings was considered the month of May, which gained a bad reputation among earthlings due to the unattractive prospect of “suffering” in the union. However, Krasnaya Gorka 2016 is a wonderful folk holiday that promises hope for revival and prosperity.

The most deeply rooted Red (beautiful) hill goes back to paganism, when the connection between the Slavs and nature was very strong. The arrival of spring was associated with the mercy of Yarila, the ancient god of the sun, they thanked him for the warmth he bestowed, and asked him to continue to help in business. The name of the holiday is associated with the spring renewal of nature: when the snow began to melt from the hills, they were covered with the first lush grass and flowers, and became beautiful (red).

In Christianity, Red Hill is also called St. Thomas' Day and is associated with the same apostle who received the nickname of Thomas the Unbeliever because, after the crucifixion of Christ, he could not believe in the resurrection of the Messiah until he touched his wounds. This happened a week after Easter, since then the celebration of St. Fomin's Day (Red Hill) has been held seven days later, which is why another name has been assigned to it - “Anti-Easter”. Therefore, calculate what date will Red Hill be in 2016, it’s not difficult - the holiday will be on May, the 8th.

Red Hill - ancient and modern

Both in ancient times and today, this holiday is perceived as a celebration of youth and renewal. That is why there were always a lot of young men and women at the festivities - they sang songs, calling for spring, and danced in circles. Women presented hearty treats, circle-shaped pies, and colored eggs. Traditionally, young people met on Krasnaya Gorka - those who stayed at home were not destined to find their mate in the near future.

On St. Fomin's day according to the Orthodox calendar, after Lent and Easter, weddings were allowed. Weddings played on this day promised the young couple a strong union for many years to come. Although Red Hill holiday in 2016 falls in May, because it is believed that getting married in May is a time of toil, a large number of marriages are expected: a happy day will nullify the troubles that were mentioned. By the way, weddings in folk style are becoming more and more popular - they turn into theatrical performances and are remembered for a lifetime. But if such a celebration turns out to be beyond one’s means, since not only the young, but also the guests dress up in national costumes, and during the feast it is expected to adhere to Old Russian customs, including treats in the old style, then it can be used to decorate tables and arches and arbors of ribbons in red and white colors.

Signs and rituals of the holiday

One of the ancient customs is to plow furrows around the village before the festivities, so that everyone living in it will be spared hardships and illnesses, and the land will be blessed with a generous harvest. Only women harnessed to the plow did this. The deeper the furrow, the better everything will turn out in the year. In the old fashioned way, not only in distant villages, but even in cities, they release colored eggs down hills. He will be happy and rich whose egg rolls smoothly and does not break. The brighter and more festive the outfit, the more the girl will attract attention.

One of the signs is to throw a coin into a well for luck. It is obligatory to pray on Krasnaya Gorka, both for the living and for those who have passed away - Radonitsa is ahead, and the deceased bless their loved ones from heaven on this day. In order for there to be health and prosperity in the house, they wash the icons (preferably with water from a well) and wash themselves with it in front of them according to seniority: the one who is the oldest in the house washes the youngest in age, but not vice versa. The most important thing is, regardless of what date Red Hill will be in 2016 and what the weather is expected to be like on that day, spend it enjoying everything around you and everyone around you, giving positivity and hoping for the best. With this attitude, any troubles will seem minor, and obstacles will seem surmountable.