Beliefs on Pokrovskaya Saturday: the ancient mysticism of October nights

Our ancestors believed that on Intercession Saturday, different mysticism happens, and the boundary between the world of the living and the dead becomes especially thin. Today, the church claims that these beliefs are manifestations of paganism. What the Slavs used to believe is in the material of Izvestia.

Russian beliefs on Pokrovskaya Saturday

The Return of drowned souls

One of the enduring beliefs of the Pokrovskaya Sabbath is the belief that spirits of drowned people supposedly appear in reservoirs on this night. Our ancestors believed that the souls of those who died in the water, who did not find peace in the afterlife, float to the surface of lakes and rivers on the night before the Veil. They are looking for opportunities to be forgiven for their earthly sins or to find peace.

This belief was especially widespread in the northern regions of Russia, where reservoirs occupied an important place in people's lives. Fishermen and hunters avoided going out on the water on the night of Pokrovskaya Saturday, fearing to meet restless souls. According to folk legends, drowned people could appear to living people, asking them to pray for them or fulfill some last will.

Mystical light over the graves

Another common belief concerned the appearance of a mysterious light over cemeteries on the night of Pokrovskaya Saturday. People talked about strange lights that could supposedly be seen over the graves of especially righteous or, conversely, sinful people. This light, according to popular beliefs, was a sign that the souls of the deceased were trying to connect with the world of the living.

Sometimes such light phenomena were explained by the fact that angels descended to the graves of the righteous in order to alleviate their fate in the afterlife. In other cases, the light meant that the soul of the deceased needed additional prayers and commemoration from living relatives.

Spirits in cemeteries

On Intercession Saturday, according to ancient beliefs, cemeteries became a place of special activity of the spirits of the dead. It was believed that on this night, souls supposedly received permission to leave their graves and wander among the living. The spirits of those who died violently or did not receive a proper burial were especially frequent.

Our ancestors believed that meeting such spirits could be both blessed and dangerous. The souls of the righteous could give good advice or warn of future events, and the restless sinners sought the opportunity to receive prayerful help from the living. That is why it was the custom among the people not to visit cemeteries after sunset on Pokrovsky Saturday.

The search for forgiveness and peace

The central motive of all Pokrovsky beliefs was the idea that the spirits of the dead seek forgiveness for their earthly sins. On this special night, souls had the opportunity to ask the living for prayerful help. Many believed that the sincere prayers of relatives on Intercession Saturday could greatly alleviate the fate of the deceased in the afterlife.

The souls of those who died suddenly or without repentance were especially in need of such prayers. According to popular beliefs, they were the ones who most often appeared to the living in the form of visions or signs, asking for remembrance and prayerful support.

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Believers honor their ancestors in the temple and at home, continuing the ancient customs of commemoration.

Why did our ancestors invent beliefs?

The modern church does not recognize these legends, considering them heresy and pagan echoes.

The creation of such beliefs reflected the psychological need of people to keep in touch with their deceased loved ones. In conditions of high mortality, when people regularly faced the loss of relatives and friends, the belief in the possibility of communicating with spirits provided emotional solace and a sense of continuity of the life cycle.

Pokrovsky beliefs allowed the living to feel that they could help their deceased relatives even after their death. This created a feeling of mutual care that does not stop with death, and strengthened family ties.

In addition, such beliefs made people think about their own behavior and encouraged them to lead a more moral lifestyle. The fear of being a restless soul after death was a powerful incentive to observe religious and moral norms.

Beliefs also helped our ancestors explain various mysterious phenomena. Strange sounds in the night, unusual lighting effects, sudden changes in the weather — all this could be interpreted through the prism of ideas about spirits.

Beliefs and traditions of their observance contributed to the strengthening of social ties within the community. Joint participation in memorial ceremonies, the exchange of stories about encounters with spirits, mutual support in difficult moments — all this created a solid social fabric of traditional society.