Dmitry, Moscow

Where did the tradition of baptizing children in infancy come from?

Hello! Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, Jerome of Stridon were baptized in mature age. Their parents, being Christians, for some reason did not baptize their children in infancy. Explain why? Were there any historical, political or personal reasons for this? Also, please tell me in what century the institution of recipients was formed, when did the first mentions of it appear (in written sources)?

Hello! Thank you for this question. You know, from time to time I also think about the advisability of infant baptism. Especially when parents, having baptized their child, do not appear in church for years. Although we talk and convince, this, alas, yields little results. Then this baptized person sometimes comes to God, but having already desecrated his soul with sins. And you can’t help but think, maybe it would have been better for him to be unbaptized and come to baptism when he had a real meeting with God, a real conversion and enlightenment?

This is probably what the parents of the saints you write about came from. It is difficult to say what “historical, political, personal preconditions there were.” We know that infant baptism was practiced around the same years. For example, Saint Nicholas was baptized as a child. Let's turn to what the holy fathers themselves wrote.

Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, went through a crucible of doubts, delusions, and sin until he came to Christ, but throughout he remembered the first lessons of his pious Christian mother. This is how he himself writes in “Confession”: “I heard as a boy about eternal life, promised to us through the humiliation of our Lord, who descended to our pride. I was marked by Him sign of the cross and I was salted with His salt when I came out of the womb of my mother, who trusted much in You. You saw, Lord, when I was still a boy, one day I became so ill from sudden cramps in my stomach that I was almost dying; You saw it. My God, for even then You were my guardian, with what emotional impulse and with what faith I demanded from my pious mother and from our common mother the Church, that I be baptized in the name of Thy Christ, my God and Lord. And my mother according to the flesh, with faith in You, carefully nurtured pure heart her eternal salvation, in confusion she hurried to wash me and introduce me to Your Holy Mysteries, Lord Jesus, for the remission of my sins, when suddenly I recovered. Thus, my cleansing was postponed, as if it was necessary so that, if I remained to live, I would wallow even more in the mud; Apparently, the dirt of the crimes committed after this ablution was imputed to a greater and more terrible guilt. So, I already believed, my mother and the whole house believed, except for my father, who, however, did not overcome the lessons of my mother’s piety in me and did not keep me from believing in Christ, in whom he himself did not yet believe. My mother tried to make sure that you, Lord, were my father rather than him, and you helped her in this to gain the upper hand over her husband, to whom she, surpassing him, submitted, for in this she submitted, of course. To You and Your command. Lord, I want to know, if You please, with what intention my Baptism was postponed then: was it for the good that the reins of my sinful inclinations were given to me? or were they not released? Why is it that the word still rings in my ears from all sides, now about one person, then about another: “leave him, let him do it: after all, he has not yet been baptized.” When it comes to bodily health, we don’t say: “Leave him alone, let him still be wounded: he has not yet recovered.” How much better and sooner would I have been cured if I had taken care of this myself and together with my loved ones, so that the spiritual salvation bestowed by You would be overshadowed by Your shadow. It would, of course, be better. However, what a storm of temptations hangs over a person upon leaving childhood, my mother knew this and preferred that it would break out over the dust of the earth, which will later be transformed, than over the very image of God” (Book 1, Chapter 11).

From this text it follows that children in those days were only catechumens and were baptized only in case of mortal danger. And this despite the fact that infant mortality was much higher than today.

Saint Basil the Great says: “And you put it off, think about it, hesitate? Having been exposed to the teachings since infancy, has not yet begun to approach the truth? Always learning, have you not yet come to knowledge? You experience it all your life, you look out until old age; When will you become a Christian? When will we know that you are ours? You've been waiting for a real year for a year. Be careful that your promises do not extend beyond the limits of life. " Don’t worry about what will give birth, find the day"(Proverbs 27:1). Don’t promise what is not yours” (Conversation 13 “Incentives to accept holy baptism”).

And here is what the saint writes Gregory the Theologian in word 40 “For Holy Baptism”:

« Do you have a baby? Don't give time for the damage to worsen; let him be sanctified in infancy and consecrated to the Spirit from his youth. Are you afraid of the seal, due to the weakness of your nature, like a cowardly and unfaithful mother? But Anna, even before birth, promised Samuel to God, and after birth she soon dedicated him and raised him for the sacred robe, not fearing human weakness, but believing in God. There is no need for you in the pendants and whispers, along with which the evil one enters, attracting to himself from the gullible the reverence due to God. Give your baby the Trinity - this is a great and good repository».

“They will object: “Let all this be fair in the reasoning of those seeking Baptism. But what can you say about those who are still babies and feel neither harm nor grace? Should we baptize them too? - Of course, if danger is approaching. For it is better to be sanctified unconscious than to die unsealed and imperfect. Proof of this is the eight-day circumcision, which in a transformative sense was a kind of seal and was performed on those who had not yet received the use of reason, as well as the anointing of the thresholds, which protects the firstborn through inanimate things. About other minors, my opinion is this: waiting until the third birthday, or a little earlier, or a little later, when children can hear something mysterious and answer, although not completely understanding, but imprinting it in their minds, it should sanctify their souls and bodies with the great sacrament of fulfilling . The reason for this is the following: although children then begin to be subject to responsibility for life, when the mind comes to maturity, and they understand the Sacrament (because sins of ignorance are not punished from them due to age), however, protecting them with Baptism is undoubtedly much more useful, due to the dangers that suddenly occur to them and cannot be prevented by any means.”

So, Saint Gregory himself, being a baptized adult with Christian parents, advocated the baptism of all infants. Including because unbaptized infants “will not be glorified or punished by the righteous Judge, because although they are not sealed, they are not bad, and they themselves have suffered more than they have done harm. For not everyone unworthy of punishment is worthy of honor; just as not everyone unworthy of honor is worthy of punishment.” This opinion of the universal teacher was established and became widespread practice.

It is difficult to say when the institution of adopters appeared. I think it is an apostolic Tradition that baptized children should have successors. Adults also had them. These are those who testified to the faith of the person coming to the Sacrament. We can say for sure that by the 7th century. rules about recipients and spiritual kinship were formed. For example, canon 53 of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, otherwise called the Trullo Council (691-692): “For affinity in spirit is more important than union in body, and we have learned that in some places, some who receive children from holy and saving baptism, after this is why they enter into marital cohabitation with their widowed mothers: we determine that from the present time nothing like this will be done.”

And in Rus' we adopted the practice of infant baptism along with the adoption of Christianity. For us, this is a thousand-year-old practice. Therefore, the proposal to postpone the baptism of babies until they grow up causes, to put it mildly, misunderstanding among parents and relatives. If you refuse them in one church, they will go to another just to baptize. Although I have also heard about people who even in our time postpone the baptism of their children until they reach adulthood. I don't dare judge them. Experience shows that in pious families, children leave the faith, and in unbelieving parents, children come to God. And, perhaps, from these people, raised in believing families, but not yet baptized, new lamps of faith will grow. After all, if Augustine had been baptized in childhood, and then he had followed the path of sins and mistakes that he followed, then we would not have such a wonderful saint, exegete and preacher. But more often it happens that in case of trouble a person turns to God and goes to where he was baptized, where his parents and grandparents are.

I believe that we must adhere to the established tradition and do everything in our power so that our children love Christ and His Church. And this task is not only for parents, but also for us, the clergy.

On the eve of the holiday, we will try to talk about the history, meaning and traditions of the baptism of the Lord as an important Christian holiday, as well as about the celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord in various churches. We have already talked about, so today we will talk only about this one thing.

The history of the origin of the holiday of baptism

On the night of January 18-19, the Christian world celebrates one of the most important and ancient holidays - Epiphany. This holiday in Orthodoxy began to be celebrated before the Nativity of Christ.

This event - the Baptism of the Lord - refers to the Gospel story, when Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. The three Synoptic Gospels say that during Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove and at the same time a voice from heaven proclaimed: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17).

When is Orthodox baptism celebrated?

In Russian Orthodox Church which adheres Julian calendar, the feast of Epiphany is celebrated on January 19th. This holiday is tied to the ancient date of the celebration of Epiphany, that is, to January 6 in the ancient Eastern churches.

That is, not only the Baptism of Jesus Christ is celebrated, but his Birth is also remembered. Both of these holidays make up a single holiday of Epiphany.

In Orthodoxy, the feast of Epiphany is one of the twelve holidays and ends Christmastide. About Christmastide and sowing, we By the way, we have already written a separate article, which we also recommend that you re-read.

Well, for baptism itself, since ancient times, the water collected on this day has been especially revered. It acquires wonderful properties and can remain fresh and clean for a long time.

John Chrysostom in his sermon in 387 said: “On this holiday, everyone, having drawn water, brings it home and keeps it all year long, since today the waters are blessed; and a clear sign occurs: this water in its essence does not deteriorate over time, but, drawn today, it remains intact and fresh for a whole year, and often two and three years.”

How the Feast of Epiphany is celebrated in different churches

In Russia, there are traditionally severe frosts on the Epiphany holiday. Therefore, they are usually called “baptismal”. And, despite the winter cold, on this holiday it is customary to bless water in open reservoirs.

To do this, a hole in the shape of a cross is most often cut out, it is called "Jordan". To gain God's special grace and to be healthy all year round, believers plunge into the Jordan while performing prayers.

Why do they bathe at baptism?

IN Old Testament it was said that Epiphany water washes away all the bad in a person and gives rise to good. "Baptism" literally means "immersion in water".

In ancient times, before the emergence of Christianity in Rus', ablution rituals were used for moral purification. And already in the New Testament, baptism with water symbolizes deliverance from sins and the revival of a pure spiritual life.

By folk beliefs All evil spirits go to Jordan on this holiday. At the same time, the Feast of Epiphany marks the end of Christmastide, which lasted 12 days. Despite church prohibitions, it is common among people to tell fortunes on Epiphany evening.

Traditions of celebrating baptism in Europe and in the world

IN European countries It is also customary to celebrate the feast of Epiphany. So in Bulgaria this holiday is called “Jordanovden”, and in Macedonia it is called “Voditsa”.

In the churches of these states, traditionally, after the blessing of water in the temple, a solemn procession is made to the reservoir. After the blessing of water, it is customary to throw a wooden cross into the hole. Believers try to dive for the cross and catch it. Retrieving the cross from the water is considered an honorable mission.

Also, it is not strange, but in India there is a holiday when the water becomes especially consecrated on close dates (+- month), at this time there are also holidays all over India and people take baths in the thousands, of course, in warm water.

Traditions of meeting and celebrating the holiday of Epiphany in Rus'

On the eve of the holiday of Epiphany in Rus' or Epiphany on January 18, all Orthodox Christians observe a strict one-day fast.

All day long it is customary to eat only kutya and lean flatbreads prepared in hemp oil, which are called “ very juicy».

What needs to be done in the house on this day general cleaning. All corners of the house are washed with special care and the garbage is taken out. After this, you need to go to the temple and bless the water. This water is used to treat diseases of the soul and body.

How to bathe and immerse yourself at baptism

There is another Epiphany tradition– swimming in Jordan. So, what is the correct way to immerse yourself at baptism? You need to plunge into wormwood three times. And it is believed that such immersion helps to wash away all sins and illnesses, and also helps a sinful person to be born again and appear before the Lord clean and born again.

In addition, for this holiday, after fasting, housewives set a rich table with treats of meat, honey and baked goods. The main dish on the table was to eat cookies in the shape of crosses and wash it down with blessed water.

And, of course, the most important thing is that on the feast of baptism all Christians tried to offer prayers to the Lord. Indeed, on this day, according to tradition, it is believed that the heavens open for blessing, and all sincere prayers will certainly be heard by the Lord and, of course, will come true.

This beloved holiday of the Epiphany is approaching. May he bring peace, happiness, health and prosperity to the homes of not only Christian believers, but also of all the peoples of Europe and Russia.

And also do not forget to visit our Training and Self-Development portal more often, read other articles on Christian theme, about religious holidays, about self-development and other similar topics.

One of the most significant events in the history of Russia was the baptism of Rus', which is usually celebrated on July 28. The initiator of the baptism of Rus' was Prince Vladimir.

For a long time, the prince did not dare to accept any religion, although his grandmother, Princess Olga, accepted Christianity long before her grandson’s plans and wanted her descendants to be Christians. The prince himself studied aspects, traditions and dogmas different religions, looking for a suitable one for yourself and for your people. The result of his research was the acceptance of baptism from the Church of Constantinople, just like Princess Olga, Vladimir chose Orthodoxy. But Rus' could also be Muslim - at some point this religion attracted Vladimir more than others. Having been baptized himself, Vladimir in 988 ordered to baptize and Kievan Rus. Like many things in our country, baptism was carried out forcibly - people were driven into the water almost by force, those who disobeyed were beaten and even executed. However, the adoption of the new faith did not force the Russians to abandon paganism - we still celebrate holidays dedicated to pagan gods, along with Christian ones. True, fleeing persecution by priests, the people renamed pagan holidays, dedicating them to Christian saints, but the rituals did not change. The formation of Christianity in Rus' lasted nine centuries, and now Russia, although it includes various religious denominations, is officially considered a country of Orthodox Christianity.

Christening

Baptism or christening is also a significant event for modern Christians. The child is baptized almost after birth. It is believed that this is best done from 8 to 40 days of life. Weak children were baptized in Rus' even earlier; it was believed that christening could help them survive, and if they died, they would go to heaven, that is, their soul could rest in peace. Christening is protection from the evil one, finding the soul, giving a bright path. At baptism the child received his secret name, different from what he was called in the world, it was believed that in this way he received protection from evil spirits, from the devil and from bad people. Only relatives knew the secret name and godparents child, and this name was revealed to him only on the day he came of age. They gave a name, as a rule, according to the Saints, that is, they named the child after the saint, whose memory was honored on the day that fell on the day of christening.

Ritual

The rite of baptism is a sacrament, so strangers are not allowed to attend. The baby’s real parents cannot attend; they either wait at the church or at home, setting the festive table. Unfortunately, today it is a very common practice for the church to set a specific day for baptism and baptize several infants and adults at once. But now only a priest can perform the sacrament of baptism, and previously, if there was no church in the village (and there was none, since a village with a church was already called a village), and the priest could not be reached due to, for example, impassable roads, then the child could baptize any baptized person, however, observing all the required canons. In rich houses it was customary to call a priest to the house, especially if the house had a chapel, and the poor took their children to church. Surprisingly, no matter how cold the water in the font was, no matter how weak the child was, after baptism he never caught a cold.

Godparents

Godparents are chosen carefully. These could be very close friends, wealthy relatives and some influential people. The main thing is that they are baptized and can provide both spiritual and bodily food. Ideally, the child should have godmother, and a godfather, if for some reason this is not realistic, then a godfather is chosen for the boy, and a godmother for the girl. From the moment of christening, godparents become spiritual parents for the child; they, along with real parents, must take care of the child, look after him, and also engage in his spiritual education. For the christening itself, the godfather buys a baptismal cross, pays for the ceremony, and the godmother buys baptismal clothes, cloth to wrap the baptized baby, towels for the baby and for the priest, and after 6 weeks gives the baby a belt and a silver spoon “for the first tooth.” Different regions have their own customs of godfather gifts; in some places real parents buy towels and cloth, but don’t give a spoon at all.

What to take with you to a christening

You should take care of everything necessary for baptism in advance, so that nothing will distract you from the event later. important event. You need to take with you not only a baptismal shirt, but also a clean one, preferably absolutely so that you can change the child’s clothes after baptism (the godmother also buys these clothes). You also need to take the cloth in which the child will be wrapped after baptism for the rite of anointing. Don't forget towels - one larger one to dry the child, and one smaller one so that the priest can dry his hands. If you are going to be baptized yourself, then also take shoes, for example, flip-flops, since the ceremony is quite long, and standing on the bare floor barefoot is not very pleasant, and you must take off your shoes. You can buy candles in the church immediately before the ceremony, just like a baptismal cross. But the cross that the baby (or you yourself, if you are being baptized) will wear is purchased after baptism, since during its consecration the name given by the priest is used. Take care of the gaitan too. After baptism, you can ask for a baptismal certificate, but it is better to ask in advance whether this church issues these certificates, since this is not accepted in all churches. The godfather pays for the certificate itself and chooses either a simpler or a richer one. And one more thing. If you decide to capture the moment of your baby’s baptism, then ask permission to film in advance - some strict priests prohibit filming the sacrament on a video camera or camera.

Is the cross gold or simple?

The baptismal cross must be an ordinary one, bought right there in the church. But you don't need to wear it. It is believed that this cross is a powerful amulet, so losing it means losing protection. The baptismal cross is kept in linen or under the pillow. You can hang it next to the cradle, but so that the baby cannot reach it. But what kind of cross to wear - gold, silver or ordinary (copper or tin), everyone decides for himself, there is only one condition - this cross must also be consecrated. To a small child It’s better to hang a very ordinary cross around your neck, and not on a chain, but on a gaitan. Orthodoxy calls for modesty, so the cross should not be visible from under clothing, and should not be too pretentious, after all, it is not jewelry. By the way, if you can’t sleep, take a handful of the cross that is on your neck - sleep will fall on you almost immediately, you can also take out your baptismal cross - it helps not only with insomnia, but also relieves headaches, and sometimes heals even more serious illnesses. Christening clothes have the same property - if your baby is sick, throw a christening dress (shirt) on him, and he will feel much better.

Signs

There are not so many baptismal signs, but they exist.

If godparents have lost their spiritual child, they are not invited to another christening - history may repeat itself.

It is believed that a child should cry when water hits his head and face - this is how the evil one comes out of him.

The godfather and godmother should not be in a close relationship either before or after the christening. That is why a married couple cannot act as godparents.

It is believed that bathing in baptismal water, which godmother asks the priest after the ceremony, strengthens the baby’s health.

It is considered a bad omen if the baby sneezes during the ceremony.

It is necessary to celebrate christenings - it reminds a person of his true purpose.

Christening is an important part of the life of both the child, his parents, and his godparents. Therefore, we must remember that if you baptized a child, do not consider your mission completed. You gave him the opportunity to be a Christian, but faith is not given as a bonus immediately after baptism. She needs to be raised, invested in the baby day after day. Therefore, if you are not sure that you can follow this path yourself and lead your child along it, then leave the decision to accept baptism at the discretion of the child, do not succumb to the persuasion of grandparents that this is the custom. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to live according to Christian canons and, by their example, instill in a child the love of God. And to baptize a baby just because it’s customary is, excuse me, hypocrisy. Although, thank God, our society, perverted by Soviet morality and atheism, is gradually beginning to recover. Therefore, often the baptism of a child benefits his parents. Think about it...

The baptismal traditions of the Russian Orthodox were of great importance and were very different from those of Catholics and Protestants. Ancient Rus' very deeply and sincerely accepted the new faith, artificially introduced in the 10th century onto Slavic pagan soil. This was a wise political decision of Prince Vladimir, which was difficult for the common people. But how sincerely and devotedly the ancient Russians believed in their pagan gods, they were also imbued with Orthodoxy with all their souls.

Traditions of infant baptism

This feature national character greatly affected many aspects of life of residents Ancient Rus'. Russian believers, like other Slavs, were born, lived and left this land “deeply Christians.” Since an unbaptized person a priori cannot claim a place in the kingdom of heaven, any Russian was simply obliged to undergo the rite of baptism.

This also applied to newborn babies, who obviously cannot have any sins and do not deserve fiery hell. In view of the sad state of medicine at that time and the high infant mortality rate, parents sought to baptize their child as early as possible. This is fundamentally different from Catholic views, which allow a person to be baptized at a conscious adult age. Many Catholics believe that a person must consciously come to faith and only after that be baptized.

The inhabitants of Ancient Rus' could not afford such liberalism. The primary task of every father and mother was to provide their child with a heavenly life in the next world in the event of his death. People were afraid that the death of an unbaptized baby could bring trouble not only to himself, but also to his parents. According to pagan memory, Russians believed that all unbaptized children turn into mermaids after death and come home to their relatives at night.

Baptism time

In Orthodox practice, there are three most desirable dates for the baptism of a child: on the third, eighth or fortieth day after birth. All parents tried to do this as early as possible, that is, three days after birth. If the newborn was very weak (they said, “not a survivor”), then they could send for a priest almost immediately after the baby was born.

If the child looked strong and vital, the ceremony could be postponed to the third or eighth day. Such a delay was necessary so that the parents had time to prepare for the sacrament and be sure to find godparents for their child. Only as a last resort was the child baptized on the fortieth day, which in the Orthodox tradition was chosen by analogy with the fortieth day after death, when the soul of the deceased goes to the “heights of heaven” and appears before the Court of God.

When they gave the name First - the generic one - the name was given to the child immediately after birth. This was the privilege of the parents. Sometimes it happened that the midwife who delivered the baby could give birth to a weak baby. This custom was especially common in small villages, where there was only one priest, and even he could be busy. The midwife named the baby and immediately dipped him in holy water, which symbolized baptism.

The child received the second - church - name already at the time of the baptismal ceremony in the church. He was chosen by his godparents and the priest, agreeing on this issue with church calendar. Parents had little influence on the choice of name. Usually they accepted what the priest offered. All these traditions have been preserved in Russian Orthodoxy to this day.

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Before the baptism of Rus', the Eastern Slavs worshiped numerous pagan deities. Their religion and mythology left their mark on everyday life. The Slavs practiced large number rites and rituals, one way or another connected with the pantheon of deities or the spirits of ancestors.

History of Slavic pagan rituals

The ancient pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus' had religious roots. U Eastern Slavs had its own pantheon. It included many deities who could generally be described as powerful nature spirits. and the customs of the Slavs corresponded to the cults of these creatures.

Another important measure of people's habits was the calendar. Pagan traditions pre-Christian Rus' were most often correlated with a specific date. It could be a holiday or a day of worship of some deity. A similar calendar was compiled over many generations. Gradually, it began to correspond to the economic cycles according to which the peasants of Rus' lived.

When in 988 Grand Duke Vladimir Svyatoslavovich baptized his country, the population began to gradually forget about their former pagan rituals. Of course, this process of Christianization did not go smoothly everywhere. Often people defended their former faith with weapons in their hands. However, by now XII century paganism became the lot of marginalized people and outcasts. On the other hand, some former holidays and rituals were able to coexist with Christianity and take on a new form.

Naming

What were pagan rites and rituals and how could they help? The Slavs gave them a deep practical meaning. Rituals surrounded every resident of Rus' throughout his life, regardless of which tribal union he belonged to.

Any newborn, immediately after his birth, went through a naming ritual. For pagans, the choice of what to name their child was vital. Depends on the name further fate person, so parents could decide on an option for quite a long time. This ritual also had another meaning. The name established a person's connection with his family. Often it was possible to determine where the Slav came from.

The pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus' always had a religious background. Therefore, the adoption of a name for a newborn could not take place without the participation of a sorcerer. These sorcerers, according to Slavic beliefs, could communicate with spirits. It was they who consolidated the choice of parents, as if “coordinating” it with the deities of the pagan pantheon. Among other things, naming finally made the newborn initiated into the ancient Slavic faith.

Disbaptism

Naming was the first obligatory rite that every member of the Slavic family went through. But this ritual was far from the last and not the only one. What other pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus' were there? In short, since they were all based on religious beliefs, it means that there was another ritual that allowed a person to return to the fold native faith. Historians called this ritual debaptism.

Indeed, the Slavs had the opportunity to abandon Christianity and return to the religion of their ancestors. In order to be cleansed of alien faith, it was necessary to go to the temple. This was the name of the part of the pagan temple intended for the ceremony. These places were hidden in the deepest forests of Rus' or small groves in the steppe zone. It was believed that here, far from civilization and large settlements, the connection between the Magi and the deities was especially strong.

A person who wanted to renounce the new Greek foreign faith had to bring with him three witnesses. This was required by the pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus'. 6th grade at school, according to standard program, superficially studies the realities of that time. The Slav knelt down, and the sorcerer read a spell - an appeal to the spirits and deities with a request to cleanse the lost fellow tribesman from filth. At the end of the ritual, it was necessary to swim in a nearby river (or go to the bathhouse) in order to complete the ritual according to all the rules. These were the traditions and rituals of that time. Pagan faith, spirits, sacred places - all this had great value for every Slav. Therefore, baptism was a frequent occurrence in the 10th-11th centuries. Then people expressed their protest against the official Kyiv state policy aimed at replacing paganism with Orthodox Christianity.

Wedding

Among the ancient Slavs in Rus', a wedding was considered an event that finally confirmed the entry young man or girls into adulthood. Moreover, a childless life was a sign of inferiority, because in this case the man or woman did not continue their family line. The elders treated such relatives with open condemnation.

The pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus' differed from each other in some details depending on the region and tribal alliance. Nevertheless, songs were an important wedding attribute everywhere. They were performed right under the windows of the house in which the newlyweds were to begin living. On festive table There were always rolls, gingerbread, eggs, beer and wine. The main treat was the wedding loaf, which, among other things, was a symbol of the abundance and wealth of the future family. Therefore, they baked it on a special scale. The long wedding ceremony began with matchmaking. At the end, the groom had to pay the bride's father a ransom.

Housewarming

Each young family moved to their own hut. The choice of housing among the ancient Slavs was an important ritual. The mythology of that time included many evil creatures who knew how to damage the hut. Therefore, the location for the house was chosen with special care. For this, magical divination was used. The whole ritual can be called a housewarming ritual, without which it was impossible to imagine the beginning of a full life for a newly born family.

Christian culture and pagan traditions of Rus' became closely intertwined with each other over time. Therefore, we can say with confidence that some previous rituals existed in the outback and provinces until XIX century. There were several ways to determine whether a site was suitable for building a hut. A pot with a spider inside could have been left on it overnight. If the arthropod weaved a web, then the place was suitable. Safety was also tested using cows. This was done as follows. The animal was released into a spacious area. The place where the cow lay down was considered lucky for a new hut.

Caroling

The Slavs had separate group so-called bypass rituals. The most famous of them was caroling. This ritual was performed annually along with the beginning of a new annual cycle. Some pagan holidays (holidays in Rus') survived the Christianization of the country. This is how caroling was. It retained many of the features of the previous pagan ritual, although it began to coincide with Orthodox Christmas Eve.

But even the most ancient Slavs had the custom on this day to gather in small groups, which began to walk around their native settlement in search of gifts. As a rule, only young people took part in such gatherings. Besides everything else, it was also a fun festival. Carolers dressed up in buffoon costumes and went around neighboring houses, announcing to their owners about the upcoming holiday of the new birth of the Sun. This metaphor meant the end of the old annual cycle. They usually dressed up in wild animals or funny costumes.

Kalinov Bridge

The key thing in pagan culture was the burial ritual. He was finishing earthly life person, and his relatives thus said goodbye to the deceased. Depending on the region, the essence of funerals among the Slavs changed. Most often, a person was buried in a coffin, in which, in addition to the body, the personal belongings of the deceased were placed so that they could serve him in the future. afterlife. However, among the tribal unions of the Krivichi and Vyatichi, on the contrary, ritual burning of the deceased at the stake was common.

The culture of pre-Christian Rus' was based on numerous mythological stories. For example, the funeral was held according to the belief about the Kalinov Bridge (or Star Bridge). IN Slavic mythology this was the name of the path from the world of the living to the world of the dead, which a person’s soul passed after his death. The bridge became insurmountable for murderers, criminals, deceivers and rapists.

The funeral procession passed a long way, which symbolized the journey of the soul of the deceased to afterlife. Next, the body was placed on the fence. This was the name of the funeral pyre. It was filled with branches and straw. The deceased was dressed in white clothes. In addition to him, various gifts were also burned, including funeral dishes. The body had to lie with its feet facing west. The fire was lit by the priest or the elder of the clan.

Trizna

When listing what pagan traditions there were in pre-Christian Rus', one cannot fail to mention the funeral feast. This was the name of the second part of the funeral. It consisted of a funeral feast, accompanied by dancing, games and competitions. Sacrifices were also practiced to the spirits of ancestors. They helped find comfort for the survivors.

The funeral feast was especially solemn in the case of the funeral of soldiers who defended their native lands from enemies and foreigners. Many pre-Christian Slavic traditions, rituals and customs were based on the cult of power. Therefore, warriors enjoyed special respect in this pagan society both from ordinary residents and from the wise men who knew how to communicate with the spirits of their ancestors. During the funeral feast, the exploits and courage of heroes and knights were glorified.

Fortune telling

Old Slavic fortune-telling was numerous and varied. Christian culture and pagan traditions, having mixed with each other in the 10th-11th centuries, have left many rituals and customs of this kind today. But at the same time, many of the fortune telling of the inhabitants of Rus' were lost and forgotten. Some of them were saved in people's memory thanks to the careful work of folklorists over the past few decades.

Fortune telling was based on the veneration of the Slavs with many faces natural world- trees, stones, water, fire, rain, sun, wind, etc. Other similar rituals necessary to find out one’s future were carried out as an appeal to the spirits of deceased ancestors. Gradually, a unique one, based on natural cycles, developed, which was used to check when it was best to go and tell fortunes.

Magic rituals were necessary in order to find out what the health of relatives, harvest, offspring of livestock, welfare, etc. would be like. The most common were fortune telling about marriage and the upcoming bride or groom. In order to carry out such a ritual, the Slavs climbed into the most remote and uninhabited places - abandoned houses, forest groves, cemeteries, etc. This was done because it was there that the spirits lived, from whom they learned the future.

Night on Ivan Kupala

Due to fragmentation and incompleteness historical sources At that time, the pagan traditions of pre-Christian Rus', in short, were little studied. Moreover, today they have become excellent ground for speculation and low-quality “research” by various writers. But there are exceptions to this rule. One of them is the celebration of the night of Ivan Kupala.

This national celebration had its strictly defined date - June 24. This day (more precisely, night) corresponds summer solstice - short period, when daylight reaches its annual record of duration. It is important to understand what Ivan Kupala meant to the Slavs in order to understand what pagan traditions were in pre-Christian Rus'. A description of this holiday is found in several chronicles (for example, in Gustynskaya).

The holiday began with the preparation of funeral dishes, which became sacrifices in memory of departed ancestors. Another important attribute of the night was mass swimming in a river or lake, in which local youth took part. It was believed that on Midsummer's Day the water received magical and healing powers. Holy springs were often used for bathing. This was due to the fact that, according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, some areas on ordinary rivers were swarming with mermaids and other evil spirits, ready at any moment to drag a person to the bottom.

The main rite of the Kupala night was the lighting of a ritual fire. All the rural youth collected brushwood in the evening so that there would be enough fuel until the morning. They danced around the fire and jumped over it. According to beliefs, such a fire was not simple, but cleansing from evil spirits. All women had to be around the fire. Those who did not come to the holiday and did not take part in the ritual were considered witches.

It was impossible to imagine the Kupala night without ritual outrages. With the onset of the holiday, the usual prohibitions were lifted in the community. Celebrating young people could steal things from other people's yards with impunity, take them native village or throw it onto roofs. Prank barricades were erected on the streets, which disturbed other residents. Young people overturned carts, plugged chimneys, etc. According to the traditions of that time, such ritual behavior symbolized the festive revelry of evil spirits. The bans were lifted for one night only. With the end of the holiday, the community returned to its usual measured life.