SAMANTA JONES

Apple Spas.

 

Today we’re celebrating another religious festival in Russia and it’s called Apple Spas. This has nothing to do saunas. No. Spasin Russian means “savior”. The ‘Spases‘ are three folk ( religious) holidays celebrated in August, that bring the Russian summer season to a close with style. And food.

On August 14 we celebrated Honey Spas. And today on the 19th of August we’re celebrating Apple Spas ( the most important of the three). Apple Spas falls during the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord in the Eastern Orthodox Calendar (August 19, Gregorian; August 6, Julian). Fruits and veggies from orchards and gardens are blessed today, and it’s considered bad luck to eat apples until now. The Second Saviour ( Apple Spas) is also associated with the following events in nature: Ripe apples are picked and blessed, the nights are becoming cold, and cranes begin to fly south. It is customary not to eat any fruits or vegetables except cucumbers before the Second Savior, and even a beggar will eat an apple on this day.

 

By: GALINA.

(Star Member of MyEC).