Spring begins in the month of March, and at the same time in Russia preparations were underway for sowing. All the beliefs and signs of Christians about the harvest, the weather from ancient times have been associated with the Orthodox calendar. The people, thanks to their observations of the behavior of animals, the direction of the wind, created bit by bit a calendar that described folk signs and holidays for each day of March. This month was affectionately called the prostalnik, the dawn.
Pancake week
For this period, very often, according to the church calendar, Pancake week falls. The traditions and signs of March oblige to visit pancakes on a visit to mother-in-law on Friday on such a holiday, to invite friends or sister-in-law to her on Saturday to treat pancakes with the main course.
This March week is considered preparatory to Lent. Although the custom of celebrating Shrovetide came from paganism, it is closely associated with the Christian calendar. The last seventh day of the holiday is called Forgiveness Sunday, the kisser. On Sunday evening, after cleansing the soul by the forgiveness of all those close to us, the custom to burn the straw effigy of Shrovetide is still preserved. Popular signs for March testified that snow was falling on the Tselnikov’s harvest.
Is it cold or hot?
A popular proverb says: "Martok came, put on seven tricks." If during this period the snow melts quickly and the water runs in streams, then the summer will be wet - this is how folk signs say about the weather in March. They said that if in January March, then wait for January in March.
Signs by the day
March 1 was called "Yarilo with a pitchfork." This day was celebrated merrily, dancing with spring, dancing fires and dancing around them all night. It was customary to meet the morning sun for pregnant women - on that day it gave strength to bear a child.
Dreams on the night of March 1 to 2 were considered prophetic. On the second day of this month, St. Fyodor Tiron is honored, while he is prayed for the return of the stolen.
March 3 was called "Yarilo with oatmeal bird." The kids treated everyone with oatmeal cookies in the form of oatmeal birds. Old men looked at the sky and foretold the cold, if the stars shone and twinkled, and the moon shone clearly. If the wood cracked in the stove - be fierce cold.
The girls started on March 4 to call out the sun so that it “rolled towards summer”. The national name of the day is "Spring fillet." On that day, a loaf was baked, round as the sun, three times brought it up to God, then it was divided between all the relatives, the rest were treated to the poor, and the crumbs were thrown to the birds.
The people said about the fifth day of the month that winter is running out, we need to have time to ride the sled. Folk omens for March on the day of St. Leo promised a man death if he sees a shooting star. On this day, people were afraid to get sick, so as not to die soon, therefore, according to the custom, sick people put pieces of bread under their armpits, and if they dried out in the morning, a bad omen would come true. As for good customs, that day there was a playful theft of coal from a blacksmith, which they carried to the field for a rich harvest.
On Timofey, March 6, in accordance with the custom in the villages, old men went out to the rubble. Another sign about the weather: on Timothy the Spring, spring is at the door.
March 7 is the day of St. Athanasius the Confessor. On this day, rough snow - to harvest, smooth - to crop failure.
March 8, popularly called "Sour Girls." The girls who did not have time to marry before Maslenitsa were supposed to hide the dowry, which means that they would still stay in the "girls".
The ninth day of the month and national signs for March are connected with the church holiday of finding the head of John the Baptist. It was believed that birds acquire nests. Migratory birds returned to their native lands on this day.
March 10 - Memorial Day of St. Tarasius. Signs said that you can’t sleep during the day, otherwise the fever will attack. If on this day the door is torn off by the wind, wait for grief in the family.
Vasily's birthday is celebrated on the national calendar on March 12. The day is called "Vasily the Dropper" - it was believed that snowmelt begins.
Day of the Martyr Evdokia
March 14 was considered according to the folk calendar not only the first day of spring. For ancestors it was New Year. On this day the weather was forecasted for the summer: if the wind is from warm edges - wait for such a summer. These are the signs in March. Rites in March prescribed from this day the children walk around the yards and praise the arrival of spring with freckle songs, give baked larks. The morning sun promised the greatest harvest. On Evdokia, snow was considered a good sign and promised good honey collection, while at the same time he reported about prolonging the winter for another 2 weeks.
How to cause the sun?
On the day of March 15, the spring and the hay harvest were judged. If long icicles hang - the spring will drag on, if the snow drifts - do not wait for grass in March, but water in April.
March vernaculars said that the 16th is the day the bear wakes up when he leaves his hut after hibernation. In the villages of the peasants there was a custom at this time to go around their fields from one end to the other, crosswise, to cause the sun, which was supposed to melt snow on the land.
"Gerasim the rooker" - in the old days they called the day March 17th. As the name implies, they commemorated St. Gerasim, waited for the rooks to arrive, and looked where they would sit: if on the nest, spring would be fast.
On March 18, Conon of Isauria, the keeper of children from smallpox, was revered. You need to plow a garden on Konon, then the crop will be the best. We looked at the behavior of the rooks - if they sat on the nests, then after 3 weeks you can start sowing.
Birthdays March 20 - Emilian, Dmitry, Vasily, Ephraim, Paul. If the wind blows from the south that day, summer will be thunderous.
Day of spring equinox
In the first month of spring there is a special day - March 22. This is the day of the vernal equinox, with which many beliefs and signs are associated. It is popularly called "Magpies", from the church holiday "40 Holy Martyrs." Popular signs about the weather in March say that day by night is measured, winter is ending. Forty days after March 22, buckwheat was sown. If forty times in a row there were morning frosts after Forty, a warm summer was foretold. It was believed that 40 pichugs flies on this day: which bird was first seen, such weather will be in spring. To see the starling and the lark for heat in the spring, the finch for the cold.
On March 25, at Theophanes they treated the birds at their compound, feeding them grain. A crop of flax and oats was judged by the presence of fog.
From March 27, cattle was taken from the cowsheds and started talking from the evil eye. In pets, spring molting began on this day.
On March 29, they hid the sled and got on the cart. It was believed: whoever sits on a sled will ride past desires.
March 30 was called the warm Alexy. From that day, it was noticeably warm, all the insects and bastards crawled out.
