Every year on November 1, according to the folk calendar, Midsummer's Day or Farewell to Autumn is celebrated. According to the church calendar, this date coincides with the transfer of the relics of St. John of Rila. In Ancient Rus', Midsummer said goodbye to autumn, expecting the onset of cold weather. Peasants hid plows and other agricultural implements in barns. Hard physical labor was replaced by simpler crafts. People wove baskets, bast shoes, sculpted felt boots, did pottery, embroidery, and knitting.
There were a large number of traditions and signs to see off autumn. On this day it was believed that a magpie could anger a brownie. Therefore, food was sprinkled on the wild birds in the yard so that they would eat and not disturb the evil spirits. It was believed that a person born on November 1 would be talkative and restless, like this bird. But the chickens were unlucky that day, since the men slaughtered them, and the women prepared various dishes from them: fried, boiled, baked. Characteristics of this day were chicken broths and pies, fried chicken, kurniks, and noodles in chicken broth. It was also believed that on this day the grooms in the horse stables began to play mischief. They began to stir up trouble and frighten the horses, ruffling and tangling their manes. Therefore, on this day the horses were left alone, which was accompanied by rest for the grooms. They drank beer, wine, and held parties with stories and fables. Therefore, the holiday on November 1 is simultaneously called “Grooms’ Day”. If you listen to superstitions, it is best not to go to the garage on this day and not take your “iron horse”.
Midsummer's Day is a holiday for ordinary people with their own traditions and signs. On this day they attend church, praying to St. John of Rila. After church, the peasants ate heartily and then rested. The holiday is similar to many other Orthodox celebrations. The difference is considered to be the saint himself and the customs associated with this day.
On Midsummer's Day the memory of the Bulgarian Saint John, born in 876, is honored. He became an orphan early and was doomed to a difficult independent life. The child could not find a good job, so he was content with what was offered: mowing grass, cleaning the garden, chopping wood. There were almost no wealthy people in the villages. Finally, John was lucky. He was able to find permanent work as a shepherd for a wealthy owner. A boy was tending a herd of cows. He took his work seriously. But one day it happened that the calf was lost. The angry owner ordered to find the loss. John walked around, but did not find the fugitive. Then he turned to the Lord God for help. He prayed earnestly, and the calf returned to the herd. The landowner unwillingly witnessed the amazing return of the loss. And the young man, believing in the power of prayer, went to the temple. It is believed that this was the monastery of St. Demetrius. In the monastery the boy acquired knowledge of writing, reading, and counting. A little later, he became a monk and began to live in solitude in the forest. The man prayed earnestly to God, without being distracted by everyday problems and nuances. But it so happened that a gang of robbers attacked the monk’s forest hut. The beaten monk went into the desert, settling in a cave. He lived in his cave for a long time, and he acquired a follower, Luke, John’s nephew. His father was looking for Luka to help with the housework. On the way home, Luka was bitten by a snake; the strong poison became fatal. Monk John was deeply disappointed by the news of his nephew's death. He became even more of a hermit. The holy man sometimes changed his location, looking for deserted places with distant caves. He delved into writing the Testament. One day the shepherds came to the monastery of the saint. He fed them beans. Having had their fill, they left. One shepherd took some beans with him. The surprise was that all the pods were empty. Then the shepherds returned to the hermit to apologize to him. Afterwards, sick people began to come to John for healing, and others for advice. John lived his last years on a rock and died at the age of 70. However, he managed to finish his manuscript of spiritual instructions. Only 30 years later, the abbot of the Rila Monastery took care of transferring the relics of the saint to Sofia to a specially built chapel, where the coffin still stands. Some of the relics are located in the Russian city of Rylsk, Kursk region.
The peasants noticed what the weather would be like on November 1st. When the day was warm and without precipitation, then winter will not be harsh, and spring will come quickly. When the day of November 1 turned out to be cold and with precipitation, then it was necessary to insulate the houses. To do this, the huts were lined with sheaves of corn stalks. When migratory birds fly high above the ground, there will soon be snowfall. If snow falls on November 1st, you should expect a good grain harvest next year.