Folk signs for September 22: what can and cannot be done

In Russia, omens were given special importance. They were used to determine the weather, the time of sowing and harvesting, and sometimes fate. The national calendar was full of beliefs and rituals. Izvestia tells about the folk signs of September 22 and the church holidays that fall on this date.

Folk signs for September 22

On September 22, the ancestors celebrated Akim and Anna Day, also known as Heavenly Heaven or the Day of Women in Labor. On the holiday, childless women prayed for the conception of a child. Young spouses who do not have children yet were given round pies by relatives and friends, thus wishing the family a speedy replenishment. Special honors were given to midwives. Lavish feasts and festivities were held in their honor.

It was customary for Akim and Anna to treat family members and neighbors with apples, making a wish for each fruit given. Many brought rowan trees home to attract prosperity and good luck. Also, on September 22, pies with different fillings were baked: cabbage meant wealth, and berries meant meeting with a lover.

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During the holiday, they paid attention to various weather signs. So, if the day was clear and warm, they understood that there would be no cold weather until the end of autumn.

Other signs of the day

• fog in the morning leads to a rainy autumn;
• heavy leaf fall leads to a cold and snowy winter;
• Mosquitoes are flying — the winter will be mild;
• cobwebs on the grass — for a warm and dry autumn;
• The larch is still in needles — there will be a lot of snow in winter;
• The cherry leaves have not fallen off — autumn will be warm.;
• A clear night leads to frost;
• snow — for a lean year.

What not to do on September 22

On the day of Akim and Anna, the ancestors adhered to strict prohibitions. It was believed that one should not leave a wallet on the table on a holiday, as this could lead to lack of money.

What else can not be done on September 22

• starting a new business will not bring success.;
• quarreling with loved ones leads to long—term conflicts;
• Cutting vegetables and fruits can "bite off luck" and cause trouble.;
• childless people will not be able to get pregnant for a long time.;
• going to bed with the windows open — moonlight can take away your health;
• moving to a new place will be nothing but trouble.

Church holidays on September 22

On September 22, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Mother of God. According to church tradition, they were righteous people, but for a long time they did not have children, which in the Old Testament society was considered a sign of sin. Despite the difficulties and their advanced age, they continued to pray for the appearance of offspring, and the Lord gave them a daughter, Mary, who later became the Mother of God.

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Also on September 22, believers remember St. Joseph of Volotsk, the founder of the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery. He was born around 1440 and from an early age devoted himself to the service of God. In 1479, he founded the monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Volokolamsk lands. An extremely strict rule was introduced in the monastery, based on the teachings of Nil Sorsky. St. Joseph brought up a whole galaxy of outstanding ascetics, many of whom later became archpastors. He was also a proponent of monastic independence from secular authority and actively participated in church councils.

Prayers for September 22

On September 22, Orthodox believers pray to the righteous Joachim and Anna, who are considered the patrons of motherhood and childbirth. They are often asked for the conception of a child, an easy birth, as well as a strong marriage and the restoration of harmony in the family. Reverend Joseph of Volotsk is asked for help in combating heretical thoughts and teachings, as well as for resolving difficult life situations.

Prayer to the Righteous Joachim and Anna

"Oh, holy righteous women, Forefathers Joachim and Anno! Pray to the Merciful Lord, that He may turn away His wrath from us, who is justly moved against us by our deeds, and that our innumerable transgressions, despising us, may the servant of God (names) turn us to the path of repentance, and may He establish us in the paths of His commandments. Also, through your prayers, preserve our lives in the world, and ask for good haste in all good things, giving us everything we need from God for life and piety, delivering us from all misfortunes and troubles and sudden death through your intercession and protecting us from all enemies visible and invisible, and so in the world of this temporary life, passing into eternal, we will achieve Rest, that by your holy supplication we may be worthy of the heavenly Kingdom of Christ our God, Who, with the Father and the Most Holy Spirit, is worthy of all glory, honor, and worship forever and ever. Amen to that."

Prayer to St. Joseph of Volotsk

"O great mentor, zealot, and teacher of the Orthodox faith, Holy Sage Joseph! Accept the supplication of us sinners offered to you, and with warm intercession implore the glorified God in the Trinity, that He may bestow His rich mercy on us sinners, that He may establish the right faith and piety in His Holy Orthodox Church: may He give holy zeal to its shepherds for the salvation of the verbal flock, so that believers may be preserved, as well as unbelievers and those who have fallen away from The true faiths will bring you to reason and convert you. Ask for all of us everything that is necessary in this temporal life and useful for our eternal salvation. Remember your flock, which you have gathered, do not forget to visit your children, and, like a child-loving father, do not despise or reject our supplications, but lift up your hands of prayer to the Lord God, so that His righteous wrath may be set aside against us, and deliver us from enemies visible and invisible, from famine and flood, swords, deadly plagues, foreign invasions, and internecine warfare. To her, our most merciful intercessor, most glorious wonderworker, guide us all in peace and repentance, end our lives, and be filled with hope in the blessed village of Paradise, where the holy name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is unceasingly glorified. Amen to that."

Earlier, Izvestia told about the signs and traditions of the national holiday of Autumn.