Briefly, for those who have not been to the lecture-class of the Slavic club "Velesov Lot" on the holiday "Autumn Grandfathers". And a memo for those who were.

REMINDER OF ANCESTORS

The ancestral ancient holidays associated with the veneration and remembrance of ancestors in Belarus have retained their name "Grandfathers". In many regions, the day before the Grandfathers is called "Baba", apparently once it was commemorated in two days on the basis of gender. All deceased relatives, regardless of gender and age, were called grandfathers. Remembrance of ancestors in archaic societies is considered a primary necessity. Who else but ancestors will help in difficult times? And although the living do not see or hear them, they are always there, always watching their descendants from the heavenly Iriy. According to ancient legend, the stars are the eyes of the ancestral spirits who look from the sky at the earthly world.

Not to remember the ancestors is to show them disrespect. But it also had another meaning: strengthening and preserving the memory of many generations, preserving the ancestral memory. The memory of ancestors, the memory of the clan, the traditions of the clan are the most sacred for a Slav.

If you do not remember the deceased, do not support them with treats-demands, the connection with the ancestors of the clan weakens, breaks, the clan itself weakens, and may even be suppressed altogether.

Grandfathers celebrated, remembering the dead several times a year. These holidays are associated with celestial phenomena - the appearance and disappearance of the Pleiades constellation. This constellation in Russia was called Stozhars or Volosozhara, Volosyny. According to legend, it was there that our ancestors went.

Stozhary is located in the northwestern part of the constellation Taurus, that is, the constellation Veles, the god of the underworld, the owner of the heavenly pastures, the shepherd of human souls. And the constellation itself was sometimes understood as a heavenly flock, which the shepherd of the month grazes.

On the day of veneration of the Grandfathers, the souls of ancestors descend to earth to see how their descendants live, whether they keep the covenants bequeathed. Therefore, they tried to meet the Ancestors, tidying everything cleanly and elegantly, treating them well, laying the table abundantly.

We were actively preparing for the celebration of the Grandfathers. Men put things in order in the yard, women in the house. On the memorial day itself, they did not work on the household: they did not sweep, did not spin, did not sew, did not chop firewood. In order not to inadvertently offend the invisible spirit of the ancestor: not to clog the eyes of the Grandfathers, not to hurt them with flying chips. It was only possible to engage in cooking and feeding pets.

From October 26 to November 2, Veles's week was celebrated, Veles's week, a week of commemoration of ancestors.

On the days of commemorating the ancestors, they baked pancakes, pancakes, cooked noodles, kutya, fried eggs. In houses on the days of commemoration, tables were laid as richly as possible, the souls of the deceased were invited "to visit" so that the ancestors would rejoice for the living. As for the guests of the living, they heated the bathhouse, made the bed.

The souls of ancestors were always sacrificed for first fruits - the first Pancake pancake, the first sip of beer, the first bread.

In different regions in Russia, Orthodox Grandfathers were celebrated with a feast in different days... This is a fragment of a forgotten tradition, when this important date was calculated without tying it to a specific date of the month, but taking into account the celestial signs: the rise of the constellation Volosyn (Pleiades), the lunar phase and possibly many other factors.

In Orthodox Russia, a certain date for the commemoration of ancestors was established, the so-called parental Saturday. In the fall, it was the closest Saturday before Dmitriev's day - October 26.

On Dmitriev's day itself, they did not work in Russia, honoring not so much Saint Dmitry as the ancient god of the Other World - Veles, whose week began from that day. It was forbidden to sew, cut linen, spin, weave, comb wool, work with cattle, otherwise, according to legends, wolves (sacred animals of Veles) may attack flocks and shepherds for disrespect.

The Church explained the tradition of memorial parental Saturdays as follows: “... Saturday is the day of remembrance of the holy martyrs and all the dead for the reason that Saturday, the seventh day of creation, in Old Testament times was a day of rest, on Saturday Christ rested in the tomb. Therefore, it is Saturday that is most consistent with prayers for the granting of eternal rest to the departed. " In fact, this tradition is much older than Christianity. In the ancient Indo-European pagan world, this sixth day was patronized by the planet Saturn, and accordingly this day was dedicated to the god of Death, old people, old age, but at the same time fertility, earth, wisdom. In ancient mythology, this is the god Kronos, Saturn, and we have VELES! Saturn is a heavy, slow planet. Saturn in Sanskrit is Shani or "Shanayscharam", which means slowly moving. This is reflected in its influence and in the qualities of the day of the week, Saturday is a day of rest and rest, a day on which nothing is worth doing. Therefore, even the ancient Vedic tradition has developed recommendations for Saturday that make it possible to harmoniously perceive the influence of the planet Saturn.

So what should be done on Saturday according to the Vedic tradition: Rest (rest on Saturday prolongs life); devote this day to home, loved ones or retire; practice meditation, yoga; reflect on the meaning of life, take stock, do business related to iron, land, agriculture; household chores; treatment, plant trees.

AUTUMN GRANDFATHERS.

They were actively preparing for their celebration. Men put things in order in the yard, women in the house. Everything was thoroughly cleaned, washed, tidied up, hung out holiday towels. Cooked up to 12-15 dishes. On the day of the celebration itself: they did not sweep, did not spin, did not sew, did not chop wood. In order not to clog up the eyes of the grandfathers, not to hurt them with flying chips ...

The ancestors were usually remembered for Grandfathers with the whole family, without strangers.

Autumn Grandfathers are celebrated at home, with the whole family. Family members were required to attend. Those who were away were in a hurry to go home. They started when it was time to light the fire, at dusk.

Before the commemoration, they put a tub of water and hung a towel so that the souls of the Ancestors could wash from the road and be sure to cleanse themselves, wash themselves.

The table was laid in a festive way. They cooked at least nine dishes related to the memorial rituals. Kutia, eve, pancakes, pancakes, noodles, scrambled eggs, kvass, porridge, milk. After the table was set, the head of the family fumigated it with wax smoke, going around it three times. Then the whole family stood in front of the red corner and prayed: “Remember, the Almighty, our bright Grandfathers! Send them the bright Irius in the kingdom of heaven. Let them sleep with other ancestors, and send us bread and salt. "

Then they sat down at the table. The owner invited the souls of the ancestors: "Holy Fathers, go to dinner with us" or "Holy parents, go to dinner with us." Or simply: "Grandfathers and Babas, come to us, old and young!"

A candle was lit on the table in a cup of grain. The eldest in the family took a candle wrapped in a pancake in one hand, a loaf of bread in the other and walked around the table three times, calling the names of all the deceased from the family. After all the souls of the Ancestors came and sat down at the table with the living, the meal began.

The funeral table began with ritual kutya and eve. From a common bowl passed in a circle, each one poured three spoons. We tried each dish in order. But before that, they always put it on a spoon in a plate for the Grandfathers. All dishes were eaten without bread and pancakes. At the table they talked only about the ancestors of the clan. Who lived what, who was, how he lived. First they remembered those who died last, then everyone else. They said only good things. If a moth flew in, or there was a creak, a rustle - these were all signs that the souls of the ancestors were here, giving a sign of themselves.

The spoons were placed upside down, otherwise "the dead in the coffin will turn over." The elders watched carefully so that after the meal the young did not get up from the table first. Whoever gets up earlier can die earlier.

At the end of the supper, they opened windows and doors and saw off the souls: “Holy Fathers! Eat, drank, go to your place! " To these words, it was allowed to add requests regarding the problems of the living, because the GRANDFATHES ASK THE GODS FOR THEIR DESCENDANTS. After that, the water was poured into an untouched place, the towel was burned ... After that, the candle was extinguished on the table with bread, and they looked, where will go smoke. If up, there will be a harmony in the family. Towards the doors - someone will die next year.

The memorial table was not removed. Left for the night for those souls who are late and may come later. Part of the food was given to chips, part to birds, part was left on the roof of their house, part was carried to rivers and lakes and poured out to reinforce those souls who parted with their bodies through the water.

We were attentive to dreams that night! The souls of ancestors could appear in them and predict the future, give advice. Thus, during the ceremony, attunement with the world of the ancestors took place, the clan bond was strengthened.

In Belarus, until the 20th century, a secret rite has survived, which speaks of the shamanic heritage of the Slavs. By the time the Grandfathers arrived, a chair was dug into the ground at a pillar near the stove (a ritual place). A girl or a woman from the clan with heightened vision, feeling, experience of clairvoyance was planted on it. Until that day, she did not eat or drink for at least a day, and remained in prayer. She was seated on a chair, blindfolded, or veiled her face, and she looked closely at the souls that entered the house, trying to recognize her relatives. When she recognized someone, she quietly reported it, conveyed their requests and orders to the living. All this took place in proper silence.

Ritual Memorial Dishes

Kanun (sochivo, kutya, kolyvo) - honey diluted with water (fed), into which a pie, unleavened bread, grated poppy seeds were crumbled.

Kutia is a ceremonial porridge made from whole grains of wheat with sour food, raisins, poppy seeds and nuts. Grain is a symbol of immortality, resurrection life. Honey - divine nectar, food of Gods and Ancestors, symbol eternal life, abundance.

Kutya cooked from grains of peas, barley and other cereals. Wheat grains were first pounded in a wooden mortar, from time to time adding a little warm water so that the grain shell completely collapsed. Further, having carefully separated the kernels from the chaff, washed them, and cooked a crumbly porridge. Sweetened with honey, added poppy seeds, peeled crushed kernels, raisins.

PROVERSE ABOUT PARENTS

Alive parents - honor, and died - remember! A Russian person cannot live without relatives! A peasant is strong with his relatives!

Poor relatives are more beautiful than the wealth of others! And the field is great, but not dear! Parental blessing is the best property!

He is an orphan - who has no one to remember! Remember your parents - your heart will become easier!

If you want to know more, be sure to study the sources:

Adamovich G. Veneration of ancestors among Belarusians. Mn., 2005.

Afanasyev A.N. Poetic views of the Slavs on nature. M., 1865-1869. T. 1-3

Afanasyev A.N. Russian folk tales in three volumes. Moscow: Goslitizdat, 1954

Vlasov V. Russian calendar style. Around the World, 1986, no. 8

Voloshina T.A., Astapov S.N. Pagan mythology of the Slavs. Rostov n / a: Phoenix, 1996

Dal V.I. Proverbs of the Russian people. M., 1957.

Ermolov A.S. Folk agricultural wisdom in proverbs and sayings. SPb., 1902-1905. T. 1-4

Zabylin M. Russian people: His customs, traditions, rituals and superstitions, - M .: Eksmo, 2002

Corinth A.A. Narodnaya Rus: All year round legends, beliefs, customs and proverbs of the Russian people. M., 1901.

Months - folk calendar/ Comp. V.A. Mironov. M .: Agency "FIAR", 1997

Legends of the Russian people, collected by I.P. Sakharov. People's Diary: Holidays and Customs. SPb., 1885.

Russian folk poetry: Reader; M .: Higher school, 1987

Rybakov B.A. Paganism Ancient Rus... Moscow: Nauka, 1987

Rybakov B.A. Paganism of the ancient Slavs. Moscow: Nauka, 1981

Ryzhenkov G. D. People's Months: Proverbs, sayings, omens, sayings about the seasons and the weather. M .: Fiction, 1991

We bring to your attention the VK community held "Hand-to-Hand Combat in Zero Gravity Conditions" dialogue with the "sorcerer" of the "Circle of Pagan Traditions" organization Yggeld (Dmitry Gavrilov) about the pagan rite of remembrance of the ancestors:

DMITRY MESHKOV (subscriber): I have long wanted to know why you need to wear a mask? Is it some kind of drill-Slavic ritual or something else? Really wondering why?

IGGELD: The mask is worn even in the current ceremonies in Belarus. It protects the leader of the commemoration ceremony from contact with the spirits of the dead, helps to pass for one. The leader of the ceremony turns the clothes inside out, takes off the silver and wrought iron, unbelts himself. The mask is put on precisely for such purposes, according to the Tradition that exists to this day.

DMITRY MESHKOV: Why isn't your shirt turned inside out and belted?

IGGELD: During the ceremony itself, filming is prohibited. This is the preparatory part.

SANDRO: I almost never criticize traditional paganism, but isn't it obvious that such protection is foolish? Why is this fear of their own ancestors? Do they wish harm to their descendants? Or is it not the souls of the ancestors at all, but someone else, since he wants evil? And if at this moment someone bad can penetrate, then is not God able to protect a person? Yes, and the same ancestors, since in paganism the gods are so powerless.

IGGELD: The gods give people autonomy. These are not gods and not ancestors, these are people who are spiritless, and therefore powerless.

SANDRO: Powerless in front of whom? Before the ancestors? Do ancestors want evil?

IGGELD: They are spiritless in comparison with their ancestors, therefore their ancestors, with rare exceptions, do not help them. Take, for example, this condemnation of the ancestors who survived the First World War, and the Civil, and the Patriotic ... It is not for modern people to judge their ancestors. And they judge themselves without having experienced such a thing. Therefore, the ancestors do not help the majority, until the descendants have enough of their fill, and it does not come to the idea that they too will be condemned.

SANDRO: So why disguise yourself in front of your own ancestors?

IGGELD: Because they are now different, and among them, who flock to the ceremony, there are souls and those with whom your own ancestors, the leader, could be at enmity. Most different people going now to Dzedi. This is not a peasant hut and one clan, there are many families and clans. Everyone who came has their own ancestors, you never know how they were in the past - they were friends or at enmity. The presenter thus, among other things, is protected from the harmful action of the otherworld.

SANDRO: So maybe it’s better not to be exposed in such a stupid disguise (as if the spirits cannot see the person underneath), but to perform the ritual “more spiritual”? At least with a previous appeal to, albeit pagan, gods? In Christianity, commemoration is carried out by prayer and alms - isn't this the most effective protection from all the bad spirits? Are your gods powerless, or do they care about people? This is nonsense.

And here's another thing, speaking about spirituality, is this rite itself spiritual, moral? In fact, it uses a technique that is often found in paganism - deception. To protect yourself, you must deceive a person or a spirit. And where there is deception, there is fear. The Christian is not afraid of either spirits or people. There is no deception in our rituals.

IGGELD: Everyone understands that this is symbolism. She is not stupid, she is traditional, so did the mummers-okrutniks before us, and it is not for us to change that. On the days of commemorating ancestors, it is not customary to use the names of gods, because all ancestors, regardless of faith or unbelief, are still our ancestors. We do not make a distinction, whose soul will come to Jeda to taste the treats. An analogue of Christian charity in the course of the Dzed are those offerings that are made in any material form to the Jed.

SANDRO: Folk saying says about this: the hair is gray, but there is no mind. And antiquity does not interfere with stupidity and nonsense. And what kind of tolerance is this? Either there are gods and they are gods to everything, which means they are able to protect, or they are not. Offerings to Jedam are, forgive me, not charity, they are appeasing spirits. Two big differences.

IGGELD: There are gods, but they provide people with free will, and intervene only on special occasions when a person is pleasing to the gods by his spiritual work.

SANDRO: What is free will and why shouldn't people before the commemoration become pleasing to the gods, for example, by cleansing and turning to them?

IGGELD: No amount of indulgence will make a person who has spent his life unrighteously clean and pleasing to the gods. Neither conversion nor any cleansing to the end can whitewash an unrighteous (unjust) person before the gods. Maximum, to nullify the things that he sincerely regrets. But not to make it higher and better, more valuable. Apollo purified, but did not make favorites of those who regretted their unrighteous deeds. Further, a road opened before such a person with new thorns, trials, work.

SANDRO: Will a new job atone for old sins, or will they forever remain in a person?

IGGELD: They will stay with the new job. It is his life path... Only one thing will remain in the past, and work will be in the present.

SANDRO: Why remember the dead at all? In Christianity, this is done so that God can see that for their sake a person is doing spiritual work on himself. That the departed, as it were, help people become better. Immediately, the gods cannot forgive, and no spiritual work is carried out during the ceremony, except for negative (deception).

If a person cannot defend himself with his righteousness, since people are not perfect, then why does he turn to his ancestors? Ancestors are the same imperfect people. And even among the most heroic ancestors it is not clear what prevailed in life. Here we cannot evaluate and judge them.

IGGELD: It is necessary to remember the dead because we are their continuation and we will all be there. And we, in theory, would like to be remembered too. The deceased can give advice, conscience, frighten, but the choice remains for the still alive. Ancestors, of course, are also imperfect, in comparison with the gods or God, but they lived before us, that is, they have a great and previous life experience that can save us - if we listen to them - from the vices they realized and long-committed mistakes.

SANDRO: Yes, we are their continuation, we will also "be there." So what? Why such a religious commemoration? Isn't just looking at photographs enough for memory purposes? Why all these feedings?

And life experience can also be the accumulation of errors with delusions. Or does a person after death clearly see what is good and what is bad? Then why be afraid of other people's ancestors? And is it possible THERE, where a person has already understood everything, there be enmity between them, at your word?

IGGELD: Read The Odyssey. Feeding imparts physicality to souls for a time and replaces sacrificial blood. Thanks to "feeding" Dziady can influence the material world, communicate with us during the ritual and somewhat later. There is no need to be afraid of spirits, but they must be respected as Elders and Others. I cannot tell you what a person sees after death - this is a matter of faith.

SANDRO: Why do they need physicality? To influence people? What for? They, judging by your words, remain imperfect, they are at enmity with each other. You say this is an object of faith, so I ask you about your faith. If they are at enmity with each other, this clearly indicates their imperfection, that the person has not changed in any way.

IGGELD: To interact with those sitting at the funeral or memorial fire. Shadows have no body, no language, how can they whisper alive? This paradox is beautifully described by Dumas, when Shiko's "shadow" appears to King Henry the Third. You have correctly understood me that souls who will still be reborn as they experience "hostility" come to such a ceremony. That is, they will be sent to a new circle. A person changes, but not immediately, some souls need many rebirths, while others do not.

SANDRO: Why listen to a whisper? How to determine who is whispering, a good ancestor or a bad one?
And how can people carry out work on themselves in this chain of rebirth? What to focus on, if even in traditional rituals there is deception?

YGGELD: To listen or not to listen - it depends on the inner attitude of the person. I believe that an ordinary person does not hear the voices of other people's ancestors. He perceives the whispers of only those who are related to him in one way or another. People need to work on themselves during life, posthumous work is useless from the point of view of the One who determines the meaning of their next birth. I see no deception in traditional rites.

SANDRO: So there is no guarantee that a person will listen to a good spirit, and not an evil one, a deceiver. I consider your assumption that a person does not hear foreign spirits as unfounded. In addition, if we are talking about the imperfection of ancestors, then our own ancestor may turn out to be an ill-wisher. We know many fathers who hate their own children.

In Christianity, with all the abundance of literature, with all the development of ascetic practices, they still look with distrust at those people, even those who have succeeded in asceticism and theology, to whom certain spirits appear. Even the most wise person can fail to distinguish between a good messenger and a deceiver. In your own paganism, as far as I understand, there are no criteria for distinguishing one from the other.
And if we talk about reincarnation, even if the Slavs had it, its help in working on oneself is very doubtful. Yes, a person is given one more chance, but Kuraev correctly noted that it is not even explained to him that he did not do that in a past life. The work starts from scratch, and he is still the same person, all in the same imperfect world.
It is also very interesting what and how the spirits "whisper" to you, but I think this is a topic for a completely different conversation.

We thank Dmitry for his friendliness, openness and for the fact that he was not afraid to enter into a dispute on our territory. These qualities are not often found among modern "wise men".

Day of memory of ancestors among the Slavs For the ancient Slavs to honor the memory of their ancestors was very important. They respected their family, strengthened the ancestral memory and passed it on to descendants. The ancestors could be approached with help, believing in their wisdom and experience. If you do not remember them, then you can bring trouble to the whole family and household. It was believed that ancestors are always close to living people and watch them. There were special days when deceased relatives were remembered. The latter were called by the general terms "grandfathers", "ancestors". On these days, sacrifices were made to them in the form of treats and delicious food. Therefore, the hostesses prepared in advance to set a rich and generous table. The dead were remembered several times a year. Preparation for the memorial days consisted of cleaning the house and yard. It was strictly forbidden to do this on the holiday itself. Otherwise, the dust could fly into the eyes of the "grandfathers" who descended to the ground. The only household chores that were allowed were cooking and feeding the livestock. Memorial days: From late October to early November, the Slavs had the so-called Veles week (commemoration of ancestors). These days were called Autumn Grandfathers. The week before Maslenitsa. Winter Christmastide. In early May .. But do not think that the ancestors were remembered only these days. No. Each holiday included some kind of funeral rites. And the above days were special, completely intended for commemoration. Traditionally, these days they went to the bathhouse, and clean linen was laid at home. A good bath broom was prepared for the ancestors, as well as crystal clear water and a new towel. These days they read special conspiracies, prayers, and also performed rituals. Funeral supper What was prepared for such holidays? Pancakes and fritters. Noodles. Egg dishes. Bread. Milk. Kvass. Kutia (a kind of sweet porridge made from wheat, in which nuts, honey, poppy and jam were also put). She was the "queen" of the table at such holidays and symbolized the triumph of life, wealth. Eve is honey with water, bread and poppy seeds. There were more than ten dishes in total. The main condition of the memorial table is the presence of meat dishes. It is also desirable that the food is only cooked and hot. By the way, the doors were wide open so that the souls of the ancestors could enter the house and have dinner. Candles were put on the table, because the holiday itself began late in the evening. It was forbidden to put forks and knives, they ate exclusively with spoons. Food for ancestors was put on windowsills. At dinner it was customary to remember only good things about deceased relatives, to praise them. And they started with the oldest and most respected relative. They didn’t talk about the daily routine. Before starting to eat, the owner of the house pronounced special words of prayer and called the ancestors. All family members must be present at the memorial dinner. They began to eat with kutya, which the hostess placed in a large bowl in advance. Each family member put exactly three spoons on their plate, passing the porridge in a circle. And in no case should you put a spoon with a bulge upward on the table. This was due to the fact that ancestors could roll over in their graves. There were special rules for the end of the dinner. First, senior family members must leave the table first. Otherwise, the young may die early. Secondly, after dinner, it was necessary to warmly guide the souls of relatives. To do this, the doors were reopened and parting words were said. Thirdly, the prepared water was poured out into the street, and the towels for the ancestors were burned. Fourth, the table was not cleaned at night. It was left for belated souls. And in the morning, the leftovers of food were thrown to cattle or birds.

Rites of remembrance of ancestors in the spring go back to the ancient Slavic ideas that with the spring awakening of nature, deceased ancestors also wake up from winter sleep, and return to the places where they lived before to see living relatives and their descendants.

According to the beliefs of our ancestors, on these spring days, returning from heavenly Iriya, the souls of our ancestors invisibly participate in the festivities along with the living.

Corinth A.A. - the author of the remarkable work "Narodnaya Rus", first published in 1901, argued that the custom of "Shouting out to parents" was observed in peasant families who honor grandfather's covenants back in the 30s-40s of the 19th century. And the expeditions of the Folklore and Ethnographic Center of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the St. Petersburg Conservatory (1999) confirmed that he is still alive in the Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod regions.
Surprisingly, at times the ruling monarchs and church patriarchs tried to prohibit this ancient folk custom of venerating ancestors. For example, Ivan the Terrible forbade "to call out to the ancestors".

Nevertheless, having survived the times of "illegality", the ceremony did not sink into oblivion, it was carefully preserved in the remote places of Mother Russia. Among the people today, it is considered the duty of every Orthodox person to “take Christ” with the dead and share with them a festive meal.

To honor ancestors means to preserve the people's memory and pass it on to descendants. Do you agree?

Since ancient times, in the morning dawn, early-early, women from newly married young people to the most ancient old women gathered, and went to the graves of relatives (or to the churchyard) to lament and voice over them.

“Our dear fathers and mothers! Somehow we, dear ones, have angered you, that there is no greetings from you, no joy, no parental trick?

Already you, the sun, the sun is clear! You ascend, ascend from midnight, you illuminate all the graves with a joyful light, so that our dead people do not sit in darkness, do not grieve with misfortune, do not live with longing ... ".

Of course, in different locations in different time there were some peculiarities of "calling out". So, on the territory of the present Ramensky district of the Moscow region, they have long come with lamentations for their parents to the cherished stone - a huge gray lump. In the northwest, the ancestors' "hooting" was adopted, connected with the arrival of the cuckoos: "They cheer long when the cuckoo cuckoo ...".

Somewhere, only elderly women and old women were supposed to "call out" the dead, somewhere it was allowed to "hum" and maidens - according to fathers, wives - according to husbands ... Daughters said: "I pagukay svaigo tatukhnu! ..", wives: “Come on, I’m pogoing gaspadarechka, svaygo dummy!”.

“Our dear priests! ... And you, our dear ones, get up, wake up, look at us, at your children, how we grieve in this world of grief. Without you, our dear ones, the tall tower has become empty, the wide courtyard has decayed; without you, dear ones, azure flowers do not bloom in a wide field, oaks do not grow red in oak trees. Oh, you, our dear ones, look out at us, orphans, from your houses and amuse them with an affectionate word ... ".

The one who calls out not only remembers the dead, but at the same time communicates with the elements of nature. In ancient archaic habits, we also meet appeals to the elements of nature: the Sun, the Month, the Winds, the Earth, so that they help communicate with the deceased, who at this moment must come to life, see and talk with the newcomer.

"... And make way, Mother Earth, cheese ...
Come out, come out
Talk to me, little orphan ... "(Okulovsky district)

The souls of ancestors were invited to treat themselves alive, to have a meal:

"And I will set the oak tables,
I'll cover the abusive tablecloths,
I will make different dishes:
The first meal I am a raspberry
The second dish is Kalinushka. "

Even ahead of the holiday, the women baked pies, wheat pancakes, pancakes, kokurki, Easter cakes, pumice pancakes, honey gingerbread, cookies, cooked millet and noodle makers, fried yaeshnya (scrambled eggs), cooked porridge, cooked jelly, satu. At the same time, the number of dishes had to be odd. Clean linen tablecloths were laid out at the burial places of the ancestors, and treats were arranged. When the dishes have been arranged, the commemorators call out the souls of the deceased by name and solemnly ask them to come and take a treat, eat and drink with their living relatives. "Holy parents, come to us to eat bread and salt."

In Russia, cemeteries became such places for funeral meals, and earlier they were burial mounds and sacred groves-oak groves. During the meal, they remembered the good deeds and the life of the deceased. The deceased relatives were believed to be glad that the living came to them. The young asked for a blessing from their departed ancestors, the elderly for forgiveness.

The celebration continued at home with the family.

Once upon a time, these "calls" initially had magical functions. Over time, the magical meaning of the words was lost, forgotten. But it retained its original function: preserving a living connection with the Ancestors, honoring them, preserving ancestral memory, rotating the eternal life circle.

In the Russian village they said: "Do not treat the late parent with honor and honor about Radonitsa - no one in the next world will remember, treat, please". They believed that if not to honor, not to remember the ancestors on Radunitsa, then angry "parents" for disrespecting their memory could send on such descendants numerous troubles, misfortunes, misfortunes, diseases, cattle deaths, fire and the like.

Therefore, not only on Radunitsa, but throughout Fomin's week, many housewives left food on the table for the night, so that the "dead women who were hungry for the winter" would have dinner if they suddenly looked into the house of their relatives.

The funeral rite among the Slavs before the Christian era is as follows: "If anyone dies, they do it, I will bite him, and therefore I will steal a great deal" special bonfire, "Steal" laid out in the form of a rectangle, high on the shoulders of a person. Firewood should be oak or birch. From them, more heat and faster everything burns out. Domovina is made in the form of a boat, boat, etc. Moreover, the bow of the boat is placed at the sunset. The most suitable day for a funeral is Friday - Mokoshi day. The deceased is dressed in all white, covered with a white blanket, and cute gifts and memorial food are put into the house. The pot is placed at the feet of the deceased. The deceased must lie with his head to the west, "And lay it in and burn the dead man on the stolen"... The elder or the priest sets fire, stripping to the waist and standing with his back to the steal. The thief is set on fire during the day, at sunset, so that the deceased "saw" light and "Walked" following the setting sun. The interior of the thief is stuffed with flammable straw and twigs. After the fire has flared up, the funeral prayer is read:

Se sva one yde
And where the gates of onia grow out of shape.
And veydeshi in on-that bo, Iriy is red,
And tamo Ra-river tense,
Jacob to make Sverga ode to Java.
And Chenslobog will learn about our day
And the gods are chancesla sva.
And be the day of the day
Lower life is the night.
And you will truncate
Bo se ese - java.
And we are naturally in the day of God,
And in the carrier you are,
Inozh god Did-Oak-Sheaf is our ...

At the end of the prayer, everyone falls silent until a huge column of flame rises to the sky - a sign that the deceased has risen to Svarga. Among the Severyans, for example, it was customary not to collect bones, but to pour a small hill on top, on which the funeral party was arranged. Throwing weapons and milodars from above, the participants of the funeral party dispersed in order to gain land and fill up a large grave mound. In some places it was customary to collect ashes and bury them under a tree, or "I will put a mala in the vessel and put it on a pillar on the way, the hedgehog to create Vyatichi today" the custom of putting up huts "On chicken legs" above the grave was preserved in the Kaluga region until the 30s of the XX century.

Rites in honor of the dead - in many Slavic lands, traces of holidays in honor of the dead are still preserved. The dead are often remembered: in calendar days and always, "As it comes to mind, but the heart will remember"... People go to the burial grounds, and there they offer sacrifices to the dead .. In general, any ceremony in honor of the dead has its own name - Tryzna. A feast for the dead is a feast dedicated to them. Over time, the Slavic Tryzna was changed into a commemoration. Trizna was previously a whole ritual: cakes, pies, colored eggs, wine are brought to the burial ground, and the dead are commemorated. At the same time, usually women and girls lament. Wailing is generally called crying for the deceased, but not a silent, not a simple hysterical fit, allowing the loss of tears, often without a sound, or accompanied by sobbing and time-based groans. No, this is a sad song of loss, deprivation, by which the author, himself the victim or suffered deprivation. The author of such lamentations, shedding burning tears about a deceased relative, and being unable to harbor emotional anxiety, falls on the burial ground where the ashes are hidden, or striking his chest, weeps, expressing in chant in the form of folk songs, the word she said from all soul, from the bottom of my heart, often deeply emotional, sometimes even bearing a deep imprint of folk legend. Below are examples of such songs:

Crying for the mother

My mother flew away
Left me to live in grief!
How will I live without you
I'm still young
My mind is twin-born,
Orphanhood life is bitter
I have no mother,
And around me - a bitter orphan!
Warm summer will come
A little cock will be buried in the field,
I'll burn, bitter orphan,
Without my own dear mother,
It's hard for me, it's hard
No one will warm me up
Except for the sun, except for red,
Nobody's going to take me in,
Nobody caresses me
Except for my dear mother!
It would be my mother
Would talk me down, dilute me
From melancholy, something from kruchinushka,
From great adversity!
Wherever I go
Wherever I go
No, my mother!
I will fall to my mother - damp earth,
I go to this, victorious, to the ant grass,
I will exclaim, grief, sweetly.

Crying for the father

From the east from the side
The winds were rising and violent
With thunder and rattlesnakes,
With prayers and fiery ones;
A star fell, fell from heaven
All to father to the grave ...
Break it down, Gromov's arrow,
More mother and mother earth!
Crumbled to you, mother earth,
What's on all four sides!
Hide-to and the grave board,
Throw open and white shrouds?
Fall off yes the handles are white
From zeal from the heart.
Unclench, but sugar lips!
Turn around to Xia yes my dear father
Migratory you, yes a clear falcon,
You fly away on the blue sea,
On the blue sea, yes Khvalynskoe,
Wash it, my dear father,
Rust from the white face;
Come to you, my father,
On your own yes on a high tower,
Everything is under the cutis and under the window,
Listen to my dear father,
The grief of our bitter songs.

Mother cry for baby

Goodbye, my baby,
With a kind mansion building,
You are your sleepy beloved gorenka,
With these lovely girlfriends
From these daring fellows you are!
Forgive me, my dear relatives are pitiful,
Sorry, goodbye, noble breed!
To white face put it on,
Apply to sugar lips! ..
Forgive me, the fields are grain-growing,
You are rude hay meadows!
The last day passes by in the evening,
The red sun is moving to the west,
Everything is lost behind a cloud,
My child is going to the lut-lane!,.
Still somehow for me, a bitch,
Will he live without you?
All the winds will obey
All people will get engaged
Yes, I will be protected!
I could have taken a bit, a bitch,
Walk on damp earth
From such a great grief „
From sadness, from the rupture!
Where should I throw myself?
Ali to the dark woods -
In the dark forests - I'll get lost
I stagger in the forest!
But a little bit young
Walk on the damp earth,
Look at the red sun!
You chilled, nurse,
Without frost, without fierce,
Chills, parent mother
No blizzard, no blizzard!

A wife's cry for her husband

The red sun rolled away
For the mountains and for the high,
For the lesushka it is yes for the dense,
For clouds it is yes for walking,
For frequent and sub-eastern stars!
Leave me, victorious little head,
With a herd, it is with a child,
They will leave me, bitter grief,
Forever and everlasting me!
How can I raise orphan children?
They will be around the world, but in fact they will wander
On the windowsill, they can scatter,
The street will walk but not wide,
Path-path, so they are not tormented
Without your parent, without a father
The riotous windmills on them will acclaim,
And the little people are kind enough about them,
That after all, free children are unmoved,
Not brave, but sons grow up without cause,
They do not have a reputation for being red, mother's daughters
The orphans did the foolish little children,
We have missed our parents' desire,
Until they let in this ambulance,
We have not locked the new lattice canopy,
They didn’t push the glass-loops,
At the gate, we didn’t put a love-magicon,
At oak doors and watchmen,
We did not sit at a difficult bed,
Have a hard, cool folding zgodovitsa,
We did not look in reserve at the parent, at the father,
As a soul came out of white breasts,
Clear eyes with white light said goodbye;
Fit here; an ambulance,
She stealthily walked the villainess - murderer
Is she on the porch as a young wife,
Whether she walked through the hallway and a red girl,
She walked like a cripple and walked along;
Was she walking from the blue of the sea and everything was hungry,
Whether from the middle of the field it was cold,
Yes, she did not knock at the oak doors,
At the window, after all, death was not given,
Little by little she came up
And a black raven flew through the window ...

Look, my sweetheart
On me and on the victorious one!
The birch is not staggering
Not curly curls
How staggers-twists
Your but young wife.
I came, bitter grief,
To a love grave
Tell your kruchinushka.
Oh, don't let me, God, Lord,
To live offensive in childishness;
In grief-bitter widowhood! ..

The cry of the old woman for the old man

Who are you, my dear, hoping for?
And who are you leaning on?
You leave me, bitter grief,
Without a heat nest! ...
Bitter grief is not from someone.
I don’t have a kind word,
No, then the words are friendly to me.
No, I have, bitter grief,
Neither clan nor tribe,
No drinker for me, no breadwinner ...
I remain, bitter grief,
Old then I, old woman,
Alone, but lonely.
To work for me - there is no exhaustion.
No - then I have a kind-tribe;
I don’t think with anyone,
I have no one to say a word to:
I have no sweet sweetheart.

After lamentations, a funeral ceremony was arranged. There are also folk funeral feasts during which the entire nation is remembered. In modern times, the people perform such a feast on Radunitsa or Great Day (Easter). Songs, food, and lamentations bring joy to the souls of the dead, and for this they inspire the living with a useful thought or advice.