One of the great holidays is the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
People call this holiday Spas, the name derives from the Slavic word Saviour.
Established in honour of the day when the Saviour ascended to heaven, this holiday is celebrated on Thursday at the sixth week after the Ascension of Christ on the fortieth day. All believers celebrate this holiday.
Certain pagan viewpoints underlie the Christian legend of the Ascension of the Lord. It says that in ancient beliefs that the soul of the deceased person within 40 days is on the Earth, and on the 40th day ascends to heaven. This belief has survived to the present day.
Besides beliefs about ascension of the soul to heaven, there was an idea that the body should go as well.
Most ancient peoples worshiped agricultural and solar deities, which are believed to die each year and then ascend to heaven, where they live among the immortals.
Christians borrowed some of these ideas from the pagan mythology and adapted them to the life of Jesus. According to Christian tradition, Jesus in 40 days after his resurrection, walked the earth, among the apostles, and then ascended to heaven.
The biblical events Christ's ascension is briefly described in the Gospels of Luke and Mark. In later tradition it is believed that this day was dedicated to the saint, whose name was Spas. He was also presented at the ascension of Christ. According to legends Spas was a joyful man that is why all believers try to be cheerful and happy on this day.
Housewives on this day paint eggs, bake cakes, and distribute them in the memory of the souls of the dead, believing that they will help their souls on the way to heaven.
Special attention, as well as on Easter, on this day is dedicated to party and meals. On Ascension holiday people eat coloured eggs like on Easter holiday.
Nowadays it is observed in society this tradition to celebrate such a holiday.
In this regard, there are preserved some superstitions believed that on Ascension can not be borrowed anything, it is forbidden bringing salt and fire out of the house; fire - because the whole year would be noisy, salt - to protect cows from diseases.
Once upon a time, in the night or even on the day of the Ascension, are implemented many customs that were aimed to protect people, household, homes and farms from magic.
Christians on the eve decorated their house with branches and greenery.
Throughout the year, these plants are kept; they were used to treat headaches and other ailments.
On this day, as well as on other holidays, people observe nature for prediction of the weather during the year. It is believed that what the weather will be on Ascension Day, so will be the summer. Housewives only on Ascension Day pick grape leaves for stuffed cabbage rolls. On this day, go to the field to see the crops, if wheat grew so much that you can not see the crow, the crop will be good and big.
