Catherine's Angel Day according to the Orthodox calendar. St. Catherine's Day (Day of the Great Martyr Catherine)

One of the most revered images of virgin martyrs in Christianity is Catherine of Alexandria. She is considered the patroness of brides, unmarried girls, women scientists and students, philosophers and astronomers, and sciences in general. Young girls turn to her in prayer, and not only on St. Catherine’s Day, with the hope of a worthy groom, and the wives of angry husbands ask for her protection.

Thanks to her unbending faith, intelligence and eloquence, Catherine converted hundreds of pagans to Christianity during her lifetime, but ultimately suffered martyrdom when she was barely eighteen years old. In the Orthodox calendar, the feast day of St. Catherine falls on the seventh of December, and in the Catholic calendar it falls on November 25.

Legend of origin

According to the traditional description, Catherine received the name Dorothea at birth and was the daughter of the governor of Egyptian Alexandria during the reign of Emperor Maximian (286-305) - a libertine, tyrant and cruel persecutor of Christians. Alexandria was one of the most beautiful cities of the Roman Empire, as well as a center of manuscripts, scientific knowledge and a place where it was possible to receive the best education of the time. Thanks to her high origin and natural talents, Dorothea very early mastered all possible knowledge, including the study of medical treatises and several foreign languages. But the girl especially excelled in philosophy, astronomy, dialectics, rhetoric and surpassed many learned men in the wealth of knowledge.

Conversion to Christianity

Being high-born, intelligent and educated, the girl also had incredible beauty. At the same time, she did not want to get married and rejected all marriage proposals, preferring the love of scientific truth and wisdom. So that her parents would not bother her with her marriage, the girl set a condition: she would become the wife of only a man equal to her in origin, wealth, education and beauty. But, of course, there was none.

Having reached the limit of her knowledge, Dorothea began to experience disappointment in her education and the direction of her life. The girl’s mother, a secret Christian, seeing her daughter’s confusion, went to the outskirts of the city to see the elder, whom many revered for his unique teaching. This man was an ascetic of the faith of Christ. He accepted, listened to the woman and gave her an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos holding the Divine Son in her arms, ordering her to give it to her daughter and pray for her.

That same night, Dorothea saw in a dream the beautiful Queen among the myriads of Heavenly armies, along with the radiant King of indescribable beauty, greatness, strength and wisdom. Looking at the girl, the Heavenly Queen asked her Divine Son if he would choose this girl as his bride, because she was beautiful, rich, noble in birth and full of the wisdom of science. To which her radiant Son, turning away from Dorothea with disgust, replied that he would not take the maiden as his bride, because she was ugly, poor and despicable in her ignorance. He is the King of Christians and will not accept a pagan bride.

The girl woke up in tears and with a firm desire to become the bride of only this Heavenly King, she went to the wise old man. She was introduced to the wisdom and sacraments of the Christian faith, received baptism, at which she received the name Catherine, and became a zealous Christian.

Having completed her apprenticeship, according to the instructions of her spiritual father, the girl spent the whole night in prayer and in the morning she saw a vision of the Heavenly Queen and her Son Christ. This time the Heavenly King accepted Catherine as the Bride and gave her a ring as a sign of the virgin’s unshakable fidelity to Christ. When she woke up, she saw a distinctive ring on her finger.

Asceticism

From that day on, Saint Catherine led a life full of virtue, abstinence, religious self-improvement and the spread of the faith of Christ. Thanks to her wisdom, philosophical inclinations and masterly mastery of oratory, Catherine guided many pagans on the path of true faith.

On one of the pagan holidays, the Roman emperor arrived in Alexandria to make rich sacrifices to the gods. Many animals were slaughtered in those days, and the streets of the city smelled of blood. Catherine boldly approached Maximin (her position allowed this) and reproached him for his cruelty and senseless sacrifices to non-existent idols. She gave many wise and logical arguments in favor of the Christian faith and against the meaningless worship of pagan gods. The girl eloquently used both secular philosophical arguments and theological reasoning.

Maximin was amused by this circumstance and, at first, rather entertained than offended. Marveling at Catherine’s extraordinary beauty, fearlessness and intelligence, the emperor tried to convince the girl by scheduling a theological debate. The most learned men were convened from all lands subject to the Roman Empire. And before the start of the dispute, there was the strictest imperial order: to keep Saint Catherine under constant guard.

On the day appointed for the debate, many people gathered in the temple to see the dispute between the young maiden and the sages. 50 of the most learned men arrived in Alexandria, whom the emperor warned: if they do not convince Catherine to turn to paganism, they will be executed. During the debate, Catherine was eloquent and persuasive, and the fifty wise men not only yielded to her, but also believed in Christ, like many of those present in the temple. The wise men were executed, and the emperor ordered Catherine to be flogged and thrown into prison. He couldn't just execute her anymore. For Maximin, it became a matter of honor for the rebellious girl to publicly renounce Christianity and her recognition of the pagan gods.

The emperor's wife went to Catherine's dungeon with several advisers and guards to persuade the girl to renounce her beliefs. But with her words, the maiden opened the hearts of the empress, advisers and accompanying soldiers to accept the true faith, after which they all recognized Christ. Having learned about this, the emperor ordered the execution of the entire group of visitors.

Martyrdom and death

Maximin ordered Catherine to be tortured until she renounced the Christian faith. But this remedy was in vain. Then he ordered to build two pairs of wheels, rotating in opposite directions, and with iron spikes attached to the rims. If you tie a person between such wheels, the points will torture his body to death. The emperor wanted to frighten Catherine with this instrument of torture, and if even then she did not return to paganism, then execute her using a terrible mechanism. Catherine did not renounce, but when she approached the wheels, they scattered into small chips, and the thorns killed several of her tormentors. A considerable part of the crowd present then believed in Christ the Savior.

The last attempt was made by the emperor. He invited Catherine to become his wife and share great power and wealth with him if the girl recognized the pagan gods. The virgin was adamant, and Maximin ordered her head to be publicly cut off with a sword. It is believed that Catherine’s last words were an appeal to Christ asking for the protection of all those who remember her martyrdom and refer to her name in prayer. When the executioner carried out the execution, everyone saw a miracle: instead of blood, milk flowed from the headless body of St. Catherine. On that day, many Christians from among those present at the execution increased.

History of the remains

In the eighth century, the monks of the Sinai Monastery of the Burning Bush (otherwise known as the Transfiguration) found the relics of the Great Martyr Catherine. The previous location of the body is unknown. According to legend, after the execution of the Holy Virgin, angels carried her body to the top of Sinai. Several centuries later, the holy fathers from the monastery on the mountainside had a vision that indicated where the remains of Catherine were located. The monks found the body, identifying it by a distinctive ring on his finger. The hair on the severed head continued to grow, and the relics exuded myrrh. The Sinai monastery preserves the main part of the remains of the holy virgin to this day. The monastery began to be called St. Great Martyr Catherine only in the 11th century. Particles of the relics were transferred to some other churches erected in honor of St. Catherine, for example, the church of the German city of Fulda or the Tsarskoe Selo Catherine Cathedral.

Medieval cult in Europe

Since the 14th century, the virgin martyr has been numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers. And the development of the cult of St. Catherine in Europe was caused by a message about the discovery of relics on the top of Sinai. Numerous groups of pilgrims flocked to the Egyptian monastery. But since the path was dangerous and distant, many shrines for pilgrimage also appeared on Western European territory.

The most famous was the monastery in Rouen, where Catherine's fingers were said to be kept. However, he is not the only one in the West. In France, England, and Germany there were many temples and monasteries dedicated to the holy virgin. The most famous English places of pilgrimage: monasteries in Canterbury and Westminster, where bottles of healing myrrh were brought from the Sinai monastery; another shrine is Mount St. Catherine in Hampshire. Since the image of the virgin martyr patronized learning and science, a College named after her was founded in Cambridge, the opening of which in 1473 was timed to coincide with the day of remembrance of the Great Martyr St. Catherine (November 25).

In the late Middle Ages, the image of St. Catherine was used as a model of the correct behavior of young women and girls: morality, chastity, selflessness in the name of faith. From the beginning of the 14th century, the mystical marriage of St. Catherine is first reflected in hagiographic literature, and after that in art, especially painting and sculpture. In the Western Church, the popularity of the cult of St. Catherine began to decline from the 18th century.

In Russian Orthodox culture

Since the end of the 14th century, Russia has maintained close ties with the Sinai monastery of St. Catherine. Later, the monastery began to receive support from the Russian royal house in the form of rich donations and regular alms. Since then, the relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the monastery has not stopped.

Catherine the Great revered the saint as her patroness and ordered a cathedral to be built in Tsarskoye Selo in her honor. In Russia, many churches of St. Catherine have been built since the 1700s, but most of them were built in St. Petersburg and the surrounding area. Today there are about 300 churches of St. Catherine throughout Russia. Seven of them are located in the capital and the Moscow region, and in St. Petersburg and regional territories there are 14 churches.

Until December 7, St. Catherine's Day, all horse-drawn vehicles were reinstalled from wheels to runners. On this day, sleigh festivities were held: either riding in a horse-drawn cart or sliding down the hills. The guys tried to start courting future brides: if a girl accepted an invitation to ride in a sleigh with a young man, she thereby showed favor towards him, and, most likely, their relationship developed.

The date of St. Catherine's memory is celebrated with the day of the angel of all women bearing this name, regardless of the time of birth. On the night of December 7th, unmarried girls, waiting for their groom, make fortunes: hoping to see their betrothed in a dream, they place an apple tree branch under their pillow. A reliable prediction is considered to be a cherry branch picked on this day and placed in a container of water: if the cherry blossoms before January 14, Melania’s day, the girl will be a bride that same year.

Symbols of the Holy Virgin in iconography

St. Catherine is always presented as young and very beautiful, often with long flowing hair, since she died a virgin. Main symbols: wheel with or without spikes, sword, book, palm branch. The maiden is often depicted wearing a crown, and on Catholic icons sometimes wearing a crown of thorns.

For centuries, Orthodox families have maintained the tradition of naming children in honor of holy wives and husbands glorified by the church.

Catherine's name day falls on different dates throughout the year, depending on who is the child's patron. In the church calendar you can find several saints with this name.

When is Catherine's name day?

This name came into Russian speech from the Greek language. It means “clear, immaculate.” Other countries also have phonetic variants. In Georgia it is Ketevan, and in the USA and Western Europe it is Katarina, Katherine, Kathleen, Katlin, Caitlin.

According to an ancient, established tradition, at baptism they give only the name that is already in the church calendar. Therefore, most parents name their children after famous saints. Otherwise, it turns out that the child has two names. He responds to one thing in everyday life, and the other is written into notes about health, asking the priest to pray.

In the Orthodox calendar there are several wives glorified by the church with this name. If the girl is named the same, then, as a rule, her heavenly patron becomes that Saint Catherine whose feast day is closest to the child’s birthday:

Alexandriyskaya (07.12);
Decalina (17.02.);
Cherkasova (05.02.);
Arskaya (17.12);
Konstantinov (20.03.).

In an Orthodox family, a child was previously named in accordance with the calendar. But many names are already outdated, and this tradition had to be abandoned. In most cases, the proximity of birthdays and namesakes is observed.

Catherine's Guardian Angel

During baptism, the newly converted baby receives from God the gift of two invisible protectors: the Heavenly Patron, after whom he is named, and the Guardian Angel.

The date of our baptism is celebrated annually as the day of the angel, and the date of the saint’s memory is celebrated as the name day. These days, it is customary for Orthodox Christians to visit church, confess, and receive communion.

Invisible defenders are always nearby, protect and defend a believer, help him in good deeds, and warn him against mistakes. Therefore, you need to tirelessly pray to them as spiritual mentors and patrons.

December 7th is St. Catherine's Day

Orthodox Christians honor the VMC on this day. Catherine. She lived in the early centuries (4th century) in Egypt. The girl had a beautiful appearance, a clear mind and incalculable wealth. She passionately wanted to find a groom who would surpass her in all these qualities.

One day her mother, who was a secret Christian, took her daughter to a monk. He blessed the girl to pray so that she could see her groom in a dream.

Catherine prayed the whole time, and at night Christ appeared to her. But the desired groom turned away from the girl, and she again went to the elder. He told who she saw in the dream and baptized her.

At night, Christ appeared again, gave the girl a ring and ordered her to preserve their union. She, having seen a wonderful ring on her hand in the morning, could no longer think about anyone but her chosen one.

During the solemn sacrifice on the occasion of the arrival of Emperor Maximilian in the city, the girl boldly preached a sermon, calling for Christianity. She won public competitions with imperial philosophers, converting them to faith.

Maximilian ordered her to be executed, but the Lord repeatedly showed his miraculous help and saved the girl from torment. When she was executed by order of the emperor, the angels carried her headless body to Mount Sinai.

What does the name Catherine mean according to the church calendar?

Choosing a name for a child is a wonderful and serious process. But everything must be done with love, right. The name should be such that it brings joy to both parents and child.

Children are often named after saints who are especially revered in the family. Believing parents know well the life and personal qualities of the saint, and with all their hearts they wish that their child, with age, will become at least a little like his heavenly patron (-nitsu).

When a child begins to grow up, he is introduced to the exploits and personal example of the saint by reading books, showing cartoons or Orthodox children's programs.

But, unfortunately, there are still few such families left. The majority of parents find out who will be the heavenly patron of their child before baptism. Many only in adulthood begin to learn everything about their name and that heavenly patron who invisibly accompanied them in life.

If a girl has received holy baptism with the name Catherine, this means that from now on the parents, adoptive parents, and later the child himself, turn to the patron saint for help and intercession before God.

Ekaterina Cherkasova Venerable Martyr

In a peasant family living in the village of Kashino, Moscow province, at the very beginning of the winter of 1892, a girl was born. They named her in honor of the Great Martyr Catherine, since the day the child was born (December 4) fell on the saint’s feast day.

From childhood, the girl showed a penchant for spiritual life. Her parents sent her to a parochial school. And when she grew up, she entered the Trinity Alexander Nevsky Monastery as a novice (1915). After leaving it due to its closure by the Soviet authorities (1922), she began to provide assistance to other people.

Arrested and executed in 1938 for “anti-Soviet” activities. Glorified by the church in 2001, numbered among the Council of Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.

Since childhood, Ekaterina has been different from other children with her original ideas and unusual games invented by herself. Katya is a bit of a greedy girl, she likes to accumulate things and stock up on things. He loves himself very much and will not tolerate competitors. If she notices someone's superiority, she will do everything to prevent it. Catherine is somewhat indecisive. She can’t immediately decide what she really needs. However, with all this, she does not need the help of others. She believes that she can handle any task and any complexity on her own.

He chooses a job to his liking. If this is not the case and she doesn’t like the job, then she won’t be able to stay there for long. Sometimes Catherine is inclined to do things that she later regrets. She needs a close person who will help her understand her own inner world. Often this person is her husband. Sometimes it takes her a lot of time to find such a husband. He manages to do everything that is necessary around the house.

Fate: Ekaterina strives to communicate with the best. And if she is not the first, then she is at least surrounded by them. She does not have a subtle mental organization. But it has vitality, not bowing under the blows of fate.

Catherine's Angel Day

From the ancient Greek language - always pure, immaculate. In the Western tradition, the initial “e” is absent everywhere: Katerina, Katrin, Katerin. Perhaps it comes from the ancient Aryan (or Hindu) word Kate - the main deity of all planets. In modern Buddhist religion, the image of Kate is installed after the Buddha.

Katyusha is a very extraordinary person. On the one hand, she is kind, affectionate, friendly, loves her parents, on the other hand, she is greedy, not really, but still this trait of hers is quite noticeable. Katya, of course, will share something tasty with her mother or a friend, but she will definitely let you down them so that they “give her away.” In principle, almost all children suffer from a similar illness, so this does not mean anything. So, if there is a normal situation in the house and Katya sees that her parents are not greedy, she will outgrow this “childhood illness”.

However, if Katya is limited in everything and denied even the necessary little things, then she will grow up to be a hoarder from whom you will never get help. “Winter” Katyas are very brave, decisive, they know how to stand up for themselves well, even using their fists if it is impossible to deal with the offender in any other way.

Katya is quite a capable girl. She often draws well and writes poetry—speaking in rhyme is a special pleasure for her. Many Katyas are mathematically inclined - they can spend hours solving problems as if it were a crossword puzzle. Katya loves animals such as parrots, cats, dogs, little piglets (if their parents keep them), as well as sports dancing and dreams of becoming a supermodel - the second Claudia Schiffer.

Adult Katerina already dreams of something else - a good husband, a comfortable home, a career. Her ambition remained as it was: for everything to be like people’s, but only much better. Sometimes she succeeds in this, either with the help of her parents, or with the help of her husband, or even thanks to her external data, which she has very good.

In addition, Katya has great willpower and a great desire to get a good higher education. Katerina is patient, assiduous, smart and capable. She can successfully work in all areas: in any business, in production, in art, in medicine, in school. If she grows up in a prosperous family, then she will not have a complex of self-doubt, infringement of rights, etc. After all, Katerina is a very vulnerable person who strives for perfection in everything - in work, in family, especially in personal relationships.

She endures not only quarrels painfully, even a word said in the wrong tone or at the wrong time can deeply hurt her. And if she meets a sensitive, non-scandalous, kind person, then they can have an ideal family.

Women's power is exercised by charm. Thus, where it is associated with a special place and is presented as a legal right and duty, then charm must be based on something immediately visible and completely indisputable. Neither enchantment, nor the complexity of inner life, nor the subtle fragrance of personality would be suitable here, because all this is not for everyone; to evaluate it requires attention, taste and sensitivity, and finally, just time. Meanwhile, Catherine wants to appear immediately and undeniably as a sovereign person, and the slightest doubt about this would be unbearable for her magnificent pride.

Catherine's Name Day according to the Church Calendar

February 5 – Ekaterina (Cherkasova), prmts. /newmuch./
February 17 – Ekaterina (Decalina), prmts. /newmuch./
March 20 – Ekaterina (Konstantinova), prmts. /newmuch./
December 7 – Catherine of Alexandria, vmts., virgin
December 17 – Ekaterina (Arskaya), MC. /newmuch./

No one knows exactly what impact the name given at birth has on the entire fate of the child, but the fact that this is really important cannot be ignored. Our ancestors were very attentive to such a choice and tried to reward the newborn with a sonorous and beautiful name, which would become his talisman and amulet for many years.

Today, many young parents choose beautiful names for their babies; as a rule, most of them came to our culture and firmly settled in it from ancient Greece. The roots of the beautiful name Ekaterina also grow from there. Russia learned and fell in love with this name only during the time of Catherine II. The Empress has done a lot for her country and people; her figure can be discussed for a long time, but we also need to thank her for popularizing her beautiful name. Literally translated, this name can be interpreted as “immaculate, eternally pure.”

Baby Catherine.

Of course, parents who, before giving the child a name and carefully familiarized themselves with its history and characteristics, can already in early childhood notice the characteristic features assigned by specialists specifically to Catherine. The baby will grow up to be a very calm and surprisingly reasonable child. She really likes it when adults pay attention to her. A trait such as vanity will manifest itself from an early age, and in some cases this can cause absolute selfishness and a consumerist attitude towards one’s loved ones. Parents should pay very close attention to this; the child should deservedly receive praise, but not become the absolute center of the lives of all family members. You should not show that her interests and desires are a priority and will be fulfilled in any case. Excessive spoiling of a child can negatively affect his future life. Everything should be in moderation.

Parents may notice that the child is very smart and quickly grasps all new information. In some cases, Katya makes mom and dad very happy when they start walking and talking early. In kindergarten, the baby will also strive to constantly be in the center of attention, she will gladly carry out the instructions of the teacher in order to hear words of approval and praise.

Ekaterina starts school with pleasure, she is interested in everything new, and very soon she can become the best student. Thanks to her very flexible and developed mind, she quite easily manages to gain authority among teachers and her classmates. Katya can help her friends, who, in her opinion, should also get good grades and be the first in academic performance. The girl copes quite independently with all the issues that arise in school life and early demonstrates to her parents that she can make all decisions carefully and correctly. As a rule, parents may not interfere in the educational process at all, because the girl constantly strives to be the best in all her affairs. This constant work on yourself can sometimes be excessive. The child becomes dependent on the opinions of other people; in the constant pursuit of good grades and praise, one can undermine one’s health or earn the title of “nerd.” Parents should ensure that all activities are age appropriate.

Maturity.

As she grows up, Katya remains to her family and friends the same pleasant and sweet girl who will help and will definitely listen. She does not talk about her problems at work or in her personal life, preferring to solve everything on her own. She better learns to create boundaries beyond which it is better not to go. If Katya is offended, you can see how she can fight back very sharply and even aggressively. Not everyone has the desire to communicate with her after this. Sometimes she can be harsh in her judgments and expressions, offending others. Commercialism and love of praise do not disappear for the majority, but, on the contrary, in some cases they simply become very clear manifestations of egocentrism. Such an indifferent attitude towards others and chanting of one's own cult can also alienate friends. For those who do not pay attention to all this, what attracts the girl is her cheerfulness and readiness to go hiking or even kayaking at any moment. Everything can happen very easily for her; some people are impressed by this behavior.

Sometimes, even after years, Catherine remains confident that absolutely everyone should obey only her rules; such a character trait is quite difficult to tolerate by others. You need to either adapt to it, or simply stop all communication.

Career.

It should be noted that after training, Ekaterina will be very reluctant to go to work; she will be happy to organize her personal life, in which the man will become the main breadwinner and breadwinner. If there is still a need to work, then you won’t see much enthusiasm. They may continue to search for an ideal job for a very long time. As a result, a girl often simply cannot build a successful career, even in one place. Sometimes Ekaterina can dream of her own business, but, as a rule, her inability to complete everything leaves projects in an unprofitable state or simply at the fantasy stage.

Marriage.

As a wife, Catherine can hardly become an exemplary and flexible spouse; she absolutely does not obey any rules and does not tolerate restrictions. You can negotiate with her in a very soft form, but no one will guarantee that such agreements will be fulfilled if she doesn’t like something.
In some families, it is Katya who becomes the only leader whose opinion is the main one. Despite such tough character traits, she can do everything that is required and even more for her loved ones. Comfort and a happy atmosphere in the house are very important to her. The husband must be prepared for the fact that she will demand no less from him, because according to her convictions, only in the case of constant and good work on the relationship can a strong union be obtained in which everyone will be happy.
How a child will grow up, first of all, depends only on his parents, they will teach him everything they know themselves, but they still cannot change some things, so you should carefully choose the name of a newborn baby so that it will bring him happiness.

In the folk calendar, this date was called the day of Katerina Sannitsa. On December 7, the sleigh road was opened, children rode on sleds, and older ones rode on sleighs harnessed to a decorated horse. Single girls and guys were looking at potential brides and grooms to get married after the Nativity of Christ.

People called this day differently:

Ekaterina Sanitsa;
Catherine's day;
Katerina Zhenodavitsa;
Saint Catherine.

The name of the day comes from the name of the Great Martyr Catherine of Alexandria, who is considered the patroness of the Russian city of Yekaterinburg and the Italian commune of Zluderno.

Catherine was born in 287 in Alexandria. In the world she bore the name Dorothea. The girl was educated, she studied the manuscripts of pagan writers, ancient sages, philosophers and poets. A Syrian monk converted her to Christianity and baptized her under the name Catherine. According to legend, after the baptism ceremony, Jesus Christ appeared to the girl in a dream and gave her a ring, calling her his bride.

At the beginning of the 4th century, Katerina accepted martyrdom. She came to the temple of Emperor Maximin during a sacrifice to the pagan gods and tried to convince him to renounce his faith and accept Christianity. The king was struck by her beauty and invited her to his place after the holiday in order to convince her to leave the faith. Since Catherine was very smart, philosophers were invited to talk with her, whom she defeated in an argument, for which the emperor demanded that they be burned.

Then Maximin himself tried to convince the girl to worship the pagan gods, but she refused. Then, on his orders, Catherine was beaten with ox sinews and imprisoned, where she was secretly visited by the emperor’s wife and his military leader Porfiry. Their girl was also able to convince them that she was right.

After this meeting, the wife decided to talk to the emperor and tried to persuade him to Christianity, for which she was executed.

Maximin invited Catherine to renounce her faith and become his wife, but seeing her steadfastness, he ordered her beheading. According to legend, it was not blood that flowed from the wound, but milk.

After the execution, the girl's body disappeared. According to legend, he was carried away by angels to the highest mountain of the Sinai Peninsula. Three centuries later, the monks, obeying a vision, found the remains of the great martyr and identified them by the ring.

Video: Holy Great Martyr Catherine

December 7: rituals, traditions and fortune telling

The Great Martyr Catherine is considered the patroness of marriage. They pray to her for good brides and grooms, for family well-being and during difficult childbirths.

On this day it was customary to organize sleigh races. All the residents of the village gathered on the hill and rode on carts. Boys and young men took part in the races, and girls cheered for them.

Sleighs served as a serious help in the peasant yard. On Catherine Sannitsa it was customary to roll them down the mountain. All the village people were also supposed to ride. The girls tried to ride in the same sleigh with their loved ones. They believed that this would make their union strong.

The newlyweds were in the spotlight on December 7. In front of their house, a sheepskin coat was placed with the fur turned outward, along which they had to walk. This ritual helped protect family happiness from the evil eye.

The girls baked kolobok (round-shaped bread) and rolled it on the ubrus (a towel decorated with embroidery, which was part of a married woman’s headdress). On one side of the ubrus they put a loved one’s thing, and on the other - a rye ear. At the same time they said:

In the evening, it was customary to tell fortunes about Catherine. Girls dreaming of marriage planted young cherry branches in tubs. If the twig blooms for the New Year or Christmas, then next year its owner will walk down the aisle.

The girls also placed cherry branches in the water. The one who blooms first will get married sooner.

December 7: signs and beliefs

If the weather is clear on December 7, then the winter will be cold.
If it’s warm outside, then frosts will hit in the second half of December.
A thaw or fog foreshadows a strong cold snap that will come after.
If snow has not fallen before this day, then next year will be a poor harvest.
Cows shake their hind legs - it means frost.
If the moon is in the circle, then there will be glaciation.
Small stars - snowfall is expected.

A person born on December 7th, according to the horoscope is Sagittarius. These people have a cheerful and easy-going disposition, they know how to enjoy life and find positive moments even in failures. Onyx is suitable for them as a talisman. This stone inspires in business, gives peace of mind and self-confidence.