According to the folk calendar - Ivan Lenten
Celebrated on 11 SeptemberIvan Lenten is a great holiday for all Orthodoxy, which is celebrated every year on September 11th.
This holiday is better known among the people as Golovosek, dedicated to the memory of the tragic death of the Lord’s closest predecessor, John the Baptist.
According to the biblical account, the Prophet John the Baptist accused King Herod Antipas of cohabiting with the ex-wife of his brother. However, despite his wife’s incitement, the king was afraid to execute the Prophet, since he was so revered and loved by the people, so he simply put him in prison.
Herod's wife could not accept such a decision of her husband, so at a festival in honor of the king's birthday, she persuaded her daughter to dance beautifully in front of the king, and as a reward ask for the head of St. John. After the king finally fulfilled the desire of the young dancer, Saint John was executed, and his head was brought to Herodias on a platter. The king's wife violated the holy remains and threw her head into the mud. However, the wrath of God fell on those responsible for the death of John the Baptist; daughter Salome’s head was cut off by a block of ice, and the king and his wife were swallowed up by the opening earth. The saint's body was buried by his disciples in Sebaste.
September 11 is considered the day of remembrance of John the Baptist; on this day it is also customary to remember all fallen soldiers, since the saint was considered a faithful warrior of God. Orthodox peasants celebrate this day with fasting; on this day you cannot eat anything round, you cannot dig potatoes or pick apple trees. Picking up any cutting objects on this day was also considered a great sin.
According to popular beliefs, it is believed that summer ends on this day, so before this time they tried to harvest the entire harvest. And they predicted the weather based on the behavior of birds; if cranes flew south on Ivan Lenten, it means the autumn will be short. If the starlings have not flown away for a long time, this is due to a dry autumn.
Single people who wanted to find family happiness had to serve in the temple on this holiday and adhere to strict fasting. Fasting on this holiday concerned not only food; on this day you cannot sing, dance, play weddings, and you must also abstain from any bodily pleasures.
Other holidays on 11 September
- Cut Glass Day
- All-Russian Day of Sobriety
- The day of correct expectation of the inexplicable
- Celebration of affectionate treatment
- Day of Military Glory of Russia - Victory Day of the Russian squadron at Cape Tendra (1790)
- Day of Migration Units of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Day of Specialist of Educational Work Bodies of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
- WWF Birthday
- Teacher's Day in Argenita (Dia del Maestro)
- Orthodox holidays September 11th:
- Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John (Day of Remembrance of Orthodox Soldiers)