The Red Hill holiday is celebrated on the seventh day after Easter. The red hill is always celebrated the next Sunday after the holiday. Also, this holiday, in addition to Krasnaya Gorka, also has other names: Antipaskha, Fomino Sunday.
In 2022, Easter falls on April 24, and accordingly Red Hill will be celebrated May 1, 2022.
The meaning of the holiday
Fomino Sunday - the feast of the assurance of the Apostle Thomas - was celebrated already in the 4th century. The church recalls on this day the gospel events that took place after the resurrection of Jesus.
When Jesus first appeared to the apostles, Thomas was not among them, therefore, when he heard the joyful news of the resurrection, he did not believe in it. A week later, Thomas met with the resurrected Jesus, but again doubted, then he showed him his wounds and offered to feel them. Only after that did Thomas believe in the resurrection.
Among the people, Krasnaya Gorka was primarily a holiday associated with marriage. From that day on, it was allowed to get married in the church (the rite is not held during fasting and in the first week after Easter), traditionally many weddings were played.
Traditions and customs
In some regions of Russia, brides were shown on Krasnaya Gorka: girls dressed up in their best outfits and walked along the streets where potential suitors lived. They also carried out "conspiracy" and "handiwork" - the traditional elements of matchmaking. Also on this day, it was customary to honor newlyweds who got married shortly before Lent.
On Krasnaya Gorka, girls wore red scarves and sundresses, and the guys wore shirts embroidered with red threads. As on Easter, eggs were rolled from grooves and hillocks on Fomino Sunday. Scrambled eggs were a traditional dish in some areas.
In many places, women and girls called out for spring, gathering at the usual places of youth festivities, including the square in front of the church. In order to protect themselves from misfortunes for the whole coming year, in the south of Russia women and girls plowed the village on the first Sunday after Easter, while they themselves pulled the plow.
Signs on Krasnaya Gorka
It was considered a bad omen among young people to miss games and round dances on Krasnaya Gorka. If a guy or a girl sat at home for the whole holiday, they said that because of this, the guy would marry an ugly one or remain single, and the girl would marry an ineffectual groom or remain an old maid. If they manage to marry, then both will certainly die shortly after the wedding.
Can Orthodox Christians Celebrate Krasnaya Gorka?
"Now what?" - you ask. "Do not celebrate this holiday, ignore it?" Not at all. From the recommendation to be attentive and selective (including regarding who organizes the celebration and in what spirit) it does not at all follow that the holiday itself is vicious, harmful, etc.
We are grateful to God for the gif.webpt of life, and there is nothing shameful in rejoicing together, for example, the entry into its rights of spring - this season so rich in its symbolism, the pivotal meaning of which is the triumph of life over death: nature, as it were, rises , no matter how hard the winter fixes her, no matter how it fetters her!
Our whole life is such that we must rejoice in it, remembering, however, the words of the Apostle: “See, proceed with caution, not as foolish, but as wise, valuing the time, for the days are evil. So, do not be foolish, but learn what the will of God is"(Eph. 5; 15 - 17).
There is no sin in the holiday itself, but, like everything earthly, it can mix in (especially given its "bad heredity"), which can be completely avoided. Therefore, in 2022, do not forget to mark Red Hill, which will be celebrated on May 1, 2022.
Moreover, after all, the valley world is an icon of the mountain world.In the same way, the holidays dedicated to the "dolly" can be turned to the heavenly, if you raise your mind from the contemplation of earthly beauty - to heavenly, if you see in the earthly reflections of the heavenly.
Read also:
- Nikola Letny in 2022
- Day of love, family and fidelity in 2022
- Production calendar 2022
