There are holidays that are not erased by time. They are passed down from generation to generation, preserving their primitiveness. We observe some traditions with genuine interest in childhood, and sometimes we become participants in them. Growing up, we cannot imagine ourselves being separated from them. This imperceptible merging of the spiritual and earthly makes us much kinder. One of these celebrations is the Slavic holiday of Zhavoronki.
History of the Lark holiday
From the way the colors change outside the window, we feel the change of season, gratefully accept the generous gifts of nature, often reflecting our mood in songs. If you ask people what the Lark holiday means and what date it is celebrated in Rus', you should not be surprised if some of them become thoughtful. Having pagan roots, it is so multifaceted that each of us understands it in our own way.
Many people associate the date 22 with the arrival of spring. Since ancient times, it has been believed that on this day spring meets winter, since the day is equal to the night, which will gradually become shorter. The ancient Slavs perceived the arrival of spring as supporting them in the fight against evil spirits. The disappearance of the Pleiades from the night sky had magical significance. Astronomical changes were associated with the souls of people visiting their home in the form of birds on the day of the equinox, which was also a memorial day.
Christians celebrate this holiday in memory of the forty martyrs who, being Christian warriors with faith in their souls, died in Sivastia, now located in the territory. Having refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, they were condemned by the Romans to a cruel death in the icy water of the lake. The warm bath gave them life, but at the same time it signified their rejection of Christ. The resilience of the people impressed the Romans so much that they were forbidden to collect bones after the burning. Among the Sivastian martyrs, the name of the Roman Aglaius is noted, who, inspired by the strength of the spirit of Christians, went over to their side. Their remains were collected and buried by the bishop, and their names were forever recorded in the church register.
How do the Slavs celebrate the holiday of Larks?
The Larks Festival is another name for magpies. The point of all traditions is to usher in spring. For centuries, the words of stoneflies have been passed on to the new generation from grandfather to great-grandfather. The lark is considered the first spring bird to return to its native land. It is no coincidence that housewives try to create birds in the form of baked goods for the holiday. To make them beautiful, they prepare the dough with rye flour, trying to spread their wings and sculpt their tufts. This is how the image of larks soaring in the sky is created. Nests were prepared for the birds, in which they were planted and placed on the windowsill.
Children rejoice the most on this day, since it has long turned into a children's holiday in those villages where it is customary to celebrate it. 
They receive birds baked and coated with honey in their hands, so that they can plant them in the most visible place and sing stoneflies. Everyone will believe that the sandpiper or lark brings warmth and takes away severe cold. At the end of the celebration, the children each eat their own bird, leaving the head for their mother, accompanying the presentation with a song wishing a good harvest.
While the children were having fun, the adults tried to predict what the coming year would be like based on the weather or did fortune telling by putting a coin in one of the birds. Whoever gets it will be the happiest. The wonderful custom of decorating trees for the arrival of spring has also been preserved. The Russian holiday of Larks is filled with many signs. For example, frosty weather predicted that snowfall and forty frosts should be expected.
In the traditions of our people there are many interesting rituals and all kinds of festivities. As a rule, they are dedicated to various folk holidays. For example, many housewives know traditional baking recipes: for which holidays they bake pies or Easter cakes, and for which ones they bake larks.
Folk holiday Zhavoronki
The celebration falls on the 22nd, the day of the vernal equinox. It has long been believed that it was on the day of the vernal equinox that birds flew in and spring gradually came into its own. From this moment it was possible to begin various field work, since “the lark began to plow the sky.”
The folklore holiday Soroki was also considered the beginning of a new period in a person’s life. With the arrival of spring, he was filled with new strength, as if he was awakening, and was ready for new achievements.
The spring holiday of the Larks is called Magpies not by the number of birds in the sky, but by the number of Sebastian martyrs, whose memory is honored on March 22. The execution was prescribed for religion, and since the word “lark” itself was often replaced with “magpie,” the name of the holiday gradually took root.
Magpie Festival - signs
Now that we know what holiday larks are baked for, we can dwell a little on folklore. After all, almost all national holidays have many signs and beliefs. Of the signs associated with the Magpie holiday, the following are still remembered:
- if magpies and jackdaws arrive on this day, you can confidently expect warm weather;
- if a titmouse sings on Magpie, it prophesies the approach of warmth;
- if the sun is in circles on the holiday, the harvest will be good;
- If frost strikes again on this day, there will be a bountiful harvest of millet.
- if it’s warm on this day, it will last exactly forty days, but the cold on March 22 promises another forty frosty nights in a row.
The national holiday Larks is loved by adults and children, because housewives bake delicious dough figures in the shape of birds with open wings. In addition to larks, they also baked koloboks, and various rituals were always performed to encourage a good harvest.
Many housewives baked koloboks from salted dough and placed them in small nests made of straw. It was believed that chickens would lay eggs well within a year. Children could also have a lot of fun, because according to tradition, dough figures in the shape of birds were put on sticks and ran with them across the field. Today many have forgotten about this holiday, but in some villages and villages they continue to celebrate it.
We continue to celebrate the coming of spring. We hope that you have begun to joyfully call for spring with us. According to some sources, Magpies or Larks were celebrated around these days. The second calls of spring continue. It is believed that larks and waders arrive on this day. On this day, they bake images of larks from dough, cover them with honey, gild their heads and wings, and then give them to their relatives and children.
Already in the Christian tradition, the holiday became the Day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebastia (March 9) in the language of the people the same name is Soroki, and sometimes Kuliki. On this day, according to the peasants, forty birds fly from warm countries and the first of them is the lark. “It happens,” experienced old peasants assure, “that larks arrive earlier, but only those that are not misleading: they will fly and may freeze. And the lark that flies to Soroki is real, he won’t die.”
Audio release of the program
http://sun-helps.myjino.ru/sop/20180310_sop.mp3Magpies can rightfully be called a children's holiday: even the day before, women knead dough from rye flour and bake “larks” (in most cases with outstretched wings, as if flying, and with tufts), and in the morning, on the day of the holiday, they distribute them to children. In addition, in the morning one of the women makes forty straw nests in the yard and puts an egg made of dough into each (this is done partly so that the chickens do not walk around other people's yards, but fly at home, and partly to amuse the children).
When the larks are ripe, the children take them in a huge crowd, with screams and sonorous children's laughter, and carry them somewhere to a barn or under a barn to call to the larks. There they put their birds all together on an elevated place and, huddled together, begin to shout at the top of their lungs: “ Larks, fly in, take away the cold winter, bring the warmth of spring: we are tired of winter, we have eaten all our bread«.
In some places (for example, in the Oryol province) this children's song is replaced by another: “ Come on, you little larks, fly together and gather together. Spring is red, what did it come with? On a plow, on a harrow, on a horse's head, on a sheaf of oatmeal, on a rye spike, on a grain of wheat-oooh!.. »
This song is sung several times. Then the children disassemble their larks and run through the village with the same song. This continues until lunch: the village is full of children's songs, children's screams, children's laughter. Having run around to their heart's content, the children again gather in one place and begin to eat their rye birds. They usually eat the whole bird except the head, which the babies each save for their mother. The celebration ends with the children kissing each other, congratulating each other on the spring holiday and running home.
And at home, every boy gives the lark’s head to his mother with the words: ‘” Here, mother, your head is from the lark: just as the lark flew high, so that your flax will be high. What kind of head does my lark have, so that flax would be so big-headed?«.
This is how this wonderful children's holiday proceeds in the Oryol province. In Penza, larks are also baked for adults, who use these birds to tell fortunes. Before putting the larks in the oven, they put some little thing inside each one: a ring, a sliver of wood, a penny. Each of these things has a symbolic meaning: a ring, for example, means a wedding, a sliver means a coffin, a penny means money, etc. But in other provinces, adults leave larks at the exclusive disposal of children, while they themselves engage in more fortune-telling about the future harvest, trying to determine the weather of spring and summer based on the weather like in Soroka. If, for example, there was a frosty morning on Soroka, then that means you can expect forty matinees in the spring.
Therefore, we invite you to spend this holiday weekend with us in a fun and useful way:
1) Let’s make larks together! To hasten the arrival of spring, you need to make or bake birds from dough - “Larks”
2) We go outside and turn to the Sun, throwing our feathered bird into the air! You can also plant them on tree branches, windows, fences, etc.
— Of course, the voice of every person is important for the Sun, but mass appeals are heard much more strongly. We invite everyone to call upon spring together with the following verse appeal to the Sun:
Russians! Welcome spring,
Hail the Red Sun!
Nature wakes up
We ask for strength for the people!
For the truth to shine
Rus' has become great again!
We ask for happiness and prosperity,
For Russia the debts of Summer!
For yourself and for people
Happiness, peace and children!
3) Be sure to share with us photos of your larks or a video of how you call for spring! (send to us in the group)
4) Tell everyone about the good tradition of invoking spring and about the Spring Equinox holiday! Repost it to your page, print it and distribute it to those who are far from the Internet!
The traditions of the Russian people have developed over centuries, they must not be forgotten! If our heart and consciousness return to the Sun, life on the planet will change for the better!
Details of the chants and verse have already been posted in our groups!
The stove in Great Lent “zha-vo-ron-kov” is a beautiful national tradition associated with the day of remembrance of the so-ro ka Se-va-sti-skih mu-che-ni-kov. These were the warriors who lived in the 4th century and accepted death for Christ. We will tell you in detail about the custom of baking Lenten buns, which are popularly called “zha-vo-ron-ka” -mi".
What is “zha-vo-ron-ki”
Zha-vo-ron-ki are baked birds made from unleavened dough. Their hosts in Ru-si are going to the holiday with the mu-che-ni-kov of Se-va-stii, who are in the Church -from March 22 according to the new style.
Who are the 40 Se-va-sti-skih mu-che-ni-kovs
Hundreds of Se-va-stian mu-s-s are the saints of the first centuries of Christianity, during the good-flattering war. ska, christi-ane. They refused to renounce the Savior and accepted death from the pagans in 313 - they froze in the ice. nom lake, security guards.
When-when does the zha-vo-ron-kov
Zha-vo-ron-kov pe-kut on the day of memory 40 mu-che-ni-kov, in Se-va-stiy lake mu-chi-shih-sya. This holiday in the Russian Orthodox Church is from March 22, according to the new style. He is intransigent, that is, yes, his fi-si-ro-va-na.
National traditions of celebration of the day of remembrance 40 Se-va-stian mu-che-ni-kov
In Russia, there is a church holiday - a day of remembrance of the Mu-che-ni-kov of Se-va-sti-skih - called-by-Zha-vo- ron-ki or So-ro-ki (with a beat-re-ni-em on the first syllable). The brightest custom of this day is to bake lean buns in the form of birds - “zha-ra-ron-kov”. They are the souls of mu-che-ni-kovs who fly towards God.
The day of the pa-ro-ka mu-che-ni-kov of Se-va-sti-skih was for simple people a sign that the long and frosty winter -ma is coming to an end. April was approaching, Lent was at its peak, “weight on the soul.”
Tra-di-tion oven zha-vo-ron-kov
During Lent in Ru-si, the hosts baked “zha-vo-ron-kov”. These are bun-lo-ki-birds from the post-test, sometimes sculpted along with nests and eggs. Zha-vo-ron-kov usually baked 40 mu-che-ni-kovs with the whole family on the day of remembrance, in Se-va-stiy lake mu-chiv-shih- Whoa, who's celebrating March 22nd according to the new style.
Go-to-vyh birds check “sa-zha-li” on the window, and some of them are from-da-va-li de-tyam for their fun. Once upon a time, according to the old tradition, which was originally used in paganism, “to call the weight” Well". Pe-che-che-che-ch-che-cheks were clinging to long rods, carrying a mountain to the highest point and screaming at the top of their lungs: “Weight -Right, what did you come with? “On the so-he, on the harrow, on the oat-snow, on the rye haystack.” Or: “Sol-nysh-ko-ved-rysh-ko, look out the window. Sol-nysh-ko, dress up, Red, look-up! Send us, Lord, a warm summer, a harvest year and more light!” Kli-kaya ves-well, sang special songs - ves-nyan-ki.
In addition to the Zha-vo-ron-kov, for the holiday of 40 mu-che-ni-kov of Se-va-stiy, they also baked Lenten pancakes - “pres-nush-ki”.
How to bake larch-vo-ron-kov - recipe for larch-vo-ron-kov
You need:
For the test: 2 kg flour, 50 g yeast, 250 g vegetable oil, 1 cup sa-kha-ra, 0.5 l water, a pinch of salt.
For the ob-ma-zy-va-niya zha-vo-ron-kov: sweet strong tea.
Preparation:
Zha-vo-ron-ki de-la-yut-sya from a strong, resilient dough. From a piece of good-ho-sho-you-bro-div-she-go-test, spread it out, cut it into pieces with a mass of about 100 g, burn them out. Then:
1. Tie a tourniquet in a knot, give the head the appropriate shape, stick a raisin in the eyes, lightly press the tail of the stick with your fingers, make a very lazy butt over the cracks, lubricate the surface with a hundred I eat strong tea with sugar and bake.
2. Stretch the dough rope so that one end is thin and flexible - the head, and the whole body is thicker, elongated No, you need to lightly crush it with your fingers. The tail is ve-ro-on-over-cut with a knife. For the wings, spread thinly, cut the wings, cut the feathers, grease with tea, then -nyaya detail - raisin-min-ki-eyes.
Ate-za-ve-ta Kik-ten-ko
Author of the recipe: prosphora of the Holy-Si-meo-nov-sko-go-federal-no-go-so-bo-ra
The spring equinox - March 22 - marks the ancient Slavic holiday of the Lark, which many no longer remember and few people even know. And this is very sad, because the Lark holiday has its own interesting meaning, its own history and its own customs. Where did he come from and why is he so remarkable?
History of the Lark holiday
In Rus' it was believed that it was during the spring equinox that larks fly from warm countries, and after them all migratory birds. It was on March 22 that spring finally gave way to winter, and day was measured against night. And this event meant that field and other economic work could begin. People themselves associated the arrival of larks with the beginning of arable work, saying: “The lark plows the sky.” The reason is the special flight of larks - first soaring up and then falling down.
In addition, according to mystical beliefs, on the day of the spring equinox, human energy changes, becomes stronger, and the body is filled with heat and the ability to achieve new achievements. What is field work for a villager if not new achievements?
Due to the fact that larks, in fact, led all other birds, the Lark holiday was also called “Magpies”. But the name “Magpies” was created not in honor of the magpie birds, but in honor of the forty martyrs of Sebaste, whose memory is celebrated on March 22. These forty martyrs were executed for their faith, thanks to which they went down in history. And, although the arrival of the larks had nothing to do with the death of the Sebastian martyrs, the number “forty” was firmly attached to the Lark holiday. People even said: “The lark brought forty birds with him.”
Customs of the Lark holiday
The Lark holiday was accompanied by various kinds of rituals, in which pagan roots were clearly visible. For example, they baked buns in the shape of larks, koloboks, gingerbread cookies, and performed various rituals to increase the yield of their farm next year.
In Rus' it was believed that if there is a swallow’s nest on a farm, it will be rich in harvest. That is why people, when they first saw a swallow, tried to feed it a piece of bread. It was believed that in this way the harvest was summoned.
In order for the chickens to lay eggs better, not to walk around other people's yards and not to get sick, housewives baked koloboks from unleavened dough on the morning of the Lark holiday, after which they made small nests from straw and placed the baked koloboks there. After this, the nest with the buns was placed in the poultry house. This was especially true on the eve of the upcoming Easter holiday.
But, of course, the main attribute of the Lark holiday, with which all the accompanying customs were associated, is the baking of unleavened dough buns in the shape of larks. Children were also involved in baking, who then ran out into the street with freshly baked larks, tossing them up or placing them on the roofs of houses. And since the lark is a symbol of the field and meadow, because they live only in these places (and not in forests, like most birds), baked larks were also impaled on poles and ran with them into the field. All these ritual actions were accompanied by invocations of larks and calls of spring:
Larks, come!
Drive away the cold winter!
Bring warmth to spring!
We're tired of winter
She ate all our bread!
Oh, you larks, larks!
Fly into the field, bring health:
The first is cow
The second is sheep,
Third - human!
The larks were distributed to the children with the obligatory accompanying words: “The larks flew in and landed on their heads.” Thus, the children were blessed and had every right to expect good health and happiness in the coming year.
But the ritual functions of dough larks were not limited to this. Housewives, when baking buns and gingerbreads, always hid some kind of surprise in some. A ring predicted a quick marriage, a coin meant wealth, and a piece of cloth tied in a knot symbolized the imminent birth of a child. For balance, symbols of some unfortunate events were also baked into the buns: for example, a sliver promised the death of a loved one, a thread - problems in material terms, which may require “tightening your belt.” And some larks were simply left empty. After that, all the buns and gingerbread were placed in a basket or on a plate - and all family members and acquaintances had to choose a delicacy for themselves. What the first lark or gingerbread that came across was predicted should have come true.
By the way, on the Lark holiday they also chose a man who could be the first to throw a handful of grain during sowing. This position was called “family planter.” This lucky person was the man who came across a coin or a pebble.
Although, of course, all these fortune-telling for the Lark holiday were very conventional - many housewives deliberately put birds and gingerbread cookies with bad omens away in the basket, and put “good” baked goods on top. Sometimes housewives gave “bad” larks and gingerbread to children with strict instructions not to eat them, but to leave them on a pole in the field. After all, if you don’t eat the baked goods, the prediction won’t come true.
But they didn’t completely eat the birds for the Larks holiday either. The heads were usually given to livestock to eat or simply handed to their mother, saying: “As the lark flew high, so may your flax be high. What kind of head does my lark have, so that the flax has a big head.” Sometimes buns and gingerbread were crumbled and scattered across the fields “in all four directions” so that the arriving birds could treat themselves. And the girls sometimes threw baked larks across the barn to see which way it would point. It was believed that the girl would have a groom on the other side. 
On the Lark holiday, there was another custom in order to drive away winter. For example, along with gingerbread and larks, forty “nuts” were baked, which were then thrown out into the street one at a time for forty days with the saying: “Red Nose Frost! Here's your bread and oats! Now get out as quickly as possible!”
The Lark Festival was accompanied by various weather signs. There was such a sign for the summer: if after the holiday it is frosty in the morning for another 40 days, you can expect a hot summer. Another sign for the summer called for paying attention to nesting birds. If the nests were on the sunny side, a cold summer could be expected.
The following sign helped determine the weather on Easter: if snow falls on the Lark holiday, then Easter week will most likely be cold; if the weather is dry on the Lark holiday, there will be no rain on Easter either.
Despite the fact that the Lark holiday is not as popular among the people as, for example, Maslenitsa, this does not make it any less loved by those who know about it. If only because it’s always nice to enjoy delicious freshly baked cookies and rejoice at the arrival of spring! And not only on the Lark holiday!
