The mystery of the Disappearing graves: how Pokrovsky Day affected folk beliefs

In the folk cultural tradition of Russia, there is a mysterious belief that graves disappear in old cemeteries before Pokrovsky Day. The modern church claims that this belief is a manifestation of paganism. What is the meaning of these beliefs and how they relate to preparations for the winter funeral — in the material of Izvestia.

Pokrovsky Day

The Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the twelve great holidays of the Orthodox calendar, established in honor of the appearance of the Mother of God in the Blachernae Church of Constantinople in 910. According to legend, the Most Holy Theotokos spread her veil over the worshippers, protecting them from their enemies. Intercession Day, celebrated on October 14 in the old style and October 27 in the new style, is an important holiday in the Orthodox calendar, symbolizing protection and patronage.

In the folk tradition, Pokrovsky Day was a celebration of the transition from autumn to winter — this is the time when nature prepares for winter rest, since in the folk tradition, the Cover was also associated with the completion of autumn work and preparation for winter. The veil was also associated with various folk rituals and traditions. On this day, the girls prayed for marriage by placing candles in the church and saying special prayers. The autumn wedding season began, as well as girlish gatherings, accompanied by songs and games.

Pagan roots and connection with the world of the dead

According to popular beliefs, graves disappeared in old cemeteries before the Cover. This was explained by the fact that the souls of the deceased at that time allegedly "returned" to their places and the graves seemed to disappear or become invisible to the living. There were other opinions, too — some believed that the souls of the dead left their bodies, others that graves were buried to protect the dead from the winter cold. It was believed that such phenomena were a sign that the deceased had found peace and protection.

Before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs believed that in the autumn period, especially on days close to the Intercession (then it was the time for the end of autumn dances and the beginning of winter gatherings), the world of the living and the world of the dead become especially close. There were prohibitions among the people on working in cemeteries and even on visiting graves, since it was believed that violating these prohibitions could lead to troubles and misfortunes.

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With the adoption of Christianity, many pagan rituals did not completely disappear, but partially penetrated and mixed with the folk Christian tradition. So, despite the fact that the church did not forbid visiting cemeteries on Intercession day, people still had a special attitude towards this time.

Interpretation of disappearing graves

Folklorists and ethnographers consider the belief about disappearing graves as part of a broader system of folk beliefs about life and death. Research shows that such beliefs help people cope with loss and find solace in believing in continued life after death.

Grave graves actually have an explanation in practice — in old cemeteries, especially abandoned ones, where no one takes care of the graves, monuments eventually deteriorate under the influence of weather conditions. Rain, snow, frost and sunlight contribute to the weathering of stone, the destruction of inscriptions and even the complete disappearance of some monuments, which makes the graves unrecognizable or disappear from the surface of the earth.

In addition, exhumation of bodies for re-burial was practiced in some regions, especially in conditions of limited space in cemeteries.

Modern interpretations of the Pokrovsky Day belief

In the regions of Russia, there was a tradition of cleaning old cemeteries before Pokrovsky Day. This included rebuilding ruined graves, removing weeds, and installing new crosses.

And today, in modern society, people still visit cemeteries before the Veil, take care of graves, bring flowers and candles, and honor the memory of the deceased.