According to the folk calendar - Antip Vodogon
Celebrated on 24 AprilAntip Vodogon is celebrated on April 24 (April 11, old style) according to the folk calendar.
The holiday owes its name partly to Saint Antipas of Pergamon, revered by Christians on this day.
Antipas' life took place in the 1st century in Pergamon (the modern city of Bergama in Turkey). He served as a bishop and followed the teachings of the Apostle John the Evangelist. When the emperor forced his subjects to sacrifice to the pagan gods, Antipas refused and incited Christians against idolaters. For this, the pagans thrust him into the void of a copper bull and placed him over the fire. As a result of torture, the saint died, his body was secretly buried, and after 4 centuries a temple was erected on the grave of the martyr.
The people called Antipas Vodogon for the full spill of water from the rivers. The ice on the rivers was just beginning to melt, the rivers were moving large volumes of water along their channels and often overflowed their banks. Residents were happy if there was a spill, because it foreshadowed a good harvest, but frozen and untouched ice on the reservoir promised a meager harvest.
The Day of Antipas Vodogon was also called High Water. The peasants postponed sowing work for a day, did not sow the fields and did not prepare seedlings for the gardens. The reason for this was that the soil was too wet from the river floods, and seeds planted in damp soil could quickly rot.
Saint Antipas was revered among the people as a dental healer. To get rid of tooth pain, peasants bit a silver coin and waited for several hours. Then a hole was made in it, a thread was threaded and hung near the icon depicting St. Antipas. Residents believed that such a ritual would relieve toothache.
It was believed that on Antipov's day bears woke up from hibernation. Getting out of the den, they wandered through the forest for several days and adapted, only then began their hunt. Together with the females, cubs born in winter came out of the dens.
Noticing the willow blossoms on Antipas Vodogon, the peasants were preparing for the final warming. If a dawn was observed in red light, spring was foreshadowed with winds and rains. The transition of small clouds into one continuous cloud meant imminent rain. But the rainy weather on this day pleased with the subsequent abundance of mushrooms.
Other holidays on 24 April
- International Secretary's Day (Administrative Professionals Day)
- International Noise Awareness Day
- International holidays - International Day of Youth Solidarity
- International holidays - World Day for Laboratory Animals
- Holidays of Russia - Congratulations on Russian Dentist Day →
- Funny Holidays - Birthday Soda
- Denim Day
- Stop Food Waste Day
- Fun Holidays - Fashion Revolution Day
- International holidays - World Immunization Week
- UN Holidays - International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
- International Guide Dog Day
- Memorial Day of St. Antipas of Pergamon
- Memorial Day of St. Barsanuphius of Tver