Holidays of the Slavs - Zhivin Day

The pagan holiday Zhiva is celebrated after midnight on May 1st. Zhiva (Zhivena), or Yarilitsa, is the mistress of late spring and life, the patroness of the entire Slavic family. She comes to earth in the form of a cuckoo, revered in the land of the Slavs. When Zhiva leaves a person, death takes possession of him. Therefore, the ancient Slavs pleased Zhiva in every possible way. According to legends, at this time the borders between worlds opened and all evil spirits came to people. That is why it was not recommended to wear black clothes, so as not to attract her. People had prophetic dreams, and their innermost desires, made with pure thoughts, came true. Winter for the Slavs was akin to death, so they greeted the fertile late spring with honors. On this holiday, houses were decorated with ribbons and wreaths, and treats were prepared for Mother Zhiva. People remembered the deceased without tears, inviting them to admire the beautiful Zhiva. They cajoled the goddess and her assistants Zhivitsa near the sown field so that the harvest would be rich. They did not forget about the owner of their own home - the Brownie, bringing him treats on a saucer. They themselves performed cleansing and washing rituals, making good wishes. After midnight, in the first hours of the holiday, a fire was lit on a hill or on the river bank. Women used brooms to clear the place of evil spirits. All night long people danced around the fire, wove wreaths, played burners, and sang songs in praise of Zhiva. An obligatory attribute of the holiday was a staging of a journey to the world of Navi - the incorporeal world of spirits and demons. Particular attention was paid to jumping over a fire, which symbolized the Smorodina River. She separated the world of the living (Yav) from the world of the dead (Nav). This is how people were cleansed of evil impulses and gained energy and health. Early in the morning they called a cuckoo in a birch grove and treated it to millet porridge. Also on this day they took their first bath in the river after winter. In honor of the Living Cuckoo, birds were released from their cages. And they themselves baked “larks” and treated their relatives and friends. We didn’t work all day, gaining strength before the difficult month of Traven.