On August 14 is celebrated the first Spas, Spas on Water, Honey Spas. This festival is one of the first of three holidays in August, which is dedicated to the Savior Jesus Christ. The full title of the first holidays sounds as follows - "The Origin of fair trees, honest and life-giving Cross of the Lord."
In the Russian Orthodox villages this holiday is celebrated without any lush festivities, since at this time the peasants do not have time for festivities: it is needed to mow, plow and sow; "August is the time of hard work," says the proverb. However, traditions are respected. On August 14 began gathering poppy.
People respect also a strict two-week Dormition Fast.
Are arranged so-called "orphan and the widow helpings," when all help to the weak and the poor villagers. Money for the work did not take, worked for "treat", and even bring themselves all sorts of supplies, and said:
You - for yourselves, we - for you,
And Christ the Saviour - for all of us!
First Spas is also called honey because it was believed that from this day the bees stopped wearing nectar from flowers.
Those who adhere strictly folk customs, began to eat honey, only starting with this very holiday, sanctified it previously in the church. In the evening, guys and adolescents came with cups to the beegarden, or with the ripped off burdock leaves. They came for their "childish interest" because they knew that they were not deprived of some honey on such a nice holiday. No wonder they say that "the first spas- is Gourmet."
