Krasnaya Gorka is one of the most popular holidays among Orthodox Christians in all countries. Officially, this day is called Antipaskha, as it is celebrated on the following Sunday after the end of Easter celebrations.
But in Rus' this date has long been poetically called Krasnaya Gorka, which can be translated into modern language as a wonderful or beautiful hill; the word “red” in the Slavic language was used not only to denote color, but also to denote beauty.
The beauty of this day is that all living things celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection of Christ; in most regions of Russia after Easter it becomes warm almost immediately, so the weather is usually pleasant too.
History of the Red Hill holiday
This holiday appeared in Rus' even before the adoption of Christianity.Previously, on this day, young people, enjoying the warm sun, went out into the street to greet the coming spring.
When Prince Vladimir made the Russians Christians, he banned all pagan holidays, but our ancestors did not want to cancel this holiday, so it was rethought and acquired a church significance.
Previously, Red Hill was celebrated as follows:
- danced in circles;
- sang songs of praise about spring;
- The guys were looking for girls to marry later.
Nowadays, on this day, people most often go to church and then to the cemetery to remember their deceased relatives. It is believed that on this day they hear all the prayers of those who remained alive.
During a cemetery, you cannot pour vodka on a grave. It is believed that such actions will "drown the deceased" in the afterlife. But you can leave a few candies next to the grave - a sacrifice for the repose of the person's soul.
What date will Krasnaya Gorka be in 2025?
Red Hill 2025 is a movable holiday, meaning its date changes every year., depending on when Easter is. It is not difficult to calculate the memorable date: just open the Orthodox calendar, find when Easter is, and count exactly one week.
To the question, what date is Red Hill in 2025 for the Orthodox, the calendar answers: May 12. It is not difficult to remember: the 12th day of 2025.
According to the forecasts of the registry office employees, the number of marriages concluded on this day should increase significantly. Getting married on Krasnaya Gorka is an old Russian tradition, which was previously observed with great reverence.
Nowadays, people are more likely to get married in the summer than in the spring, but this year Krasnaya Gorka falls on a “beautiful” date – 12.05.2024. This coincidence will probably please many people who want to get married.
How to celebrate properly?
A true Christian should not only know what date Krasnaya Gorka 2023 is, but should also understand the meaning of this memorable date. First of all, it is the eighth day since the greatest event - the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This memorable date is a symbol of the victory of eternal life over death, the victory of good over evil, God over evil spirits.Once upon a time in Rus', when the echoes of paganism were still strong, it was believed that on Krasnaya Gorka spring fought with winter and finally defeated it.
Nowadays, old customs and traditions are being revived, so on Krasnaya Gorka in many regions, especially in rural areas, mass public festivities are held.
This holiday includes:
- dancing;
- performance of Russian folk songs;
- old Russian games and entertainment;
- an ancient, now almost forgotten custom of rolling Easter eggs.
In the nineteenth century, traditional bride fairs were held on this day in many regions; girls, looking for a betrothed, demonstrated their beauty and abilities, and guys looked and chose a bride to their liking. But the decision about marriage was always made by the parents; without their blessing, the matchmaking could not take place.
Traditions
Having learned what date the Orthodox Red Hill 2024 is, you should read about the old Russian traditions directly related to this day. For example, such an interesting Slavic tradition as the rite of calling the young is almost forgotten now.
Its essence lies in honoring young couples who got married within a year., that is, from January to February-March (before Lent, since they did not get married during Lent).
The newlyweds were affectionately called "vyunets" and "vyunitsa", and round dances with dancing and games were held under their house. And the young family, in turn, treated the revelers with whatever they could. The fellow villagers thanked the newlyweds, bowed to them at the waist and wished them a long, happy marriage.
Also very popular in ancient times was such a pagan ritual as invoking or calling spring. For this, children and young people went out into the street and sang special drawn-out ritual chants in chorus - vesnyanki.
They asked for spring to come quickly and bring with it warmth, joy, and a good harvest.In some regions, special birds were baked from dough and then treated to baked goods by family and friends; the bird symbolized spring and the beginning of a new life.
Signs
Krasnaya Gorka in 2025 is associated with various signs. Christians believe that believing in signs is a sin, but earlier in Rus', signs were given great importance.
Some of the most famous superstitions can be named, for example:
- those who get married on Krasnaya Gorka will live happily ever after and die on the same day;
- rain on Krasnaya Gorka promises financial well-being and a good harvest;
- Hard work on this day will lead to poverty and financial difficulties throughout the year.
Also on this holiday, people tried to guess what kind of weather awaited them in the new year. A sunny day indicated a frosty winter; if it was windy on Krasnaya Gorka, the winter promised to be snowy, and autumn – rainy.
There are different ways to celebrate Krasnaya Gorka. But a believer must definitely visit an Orthodox church on this day; a special festive liturgy is served there on the Sunday following Easter.
And, of course, on Krasnaya Gorka you shouldn’t do heavy physical work, for example, doing repairs or working in the garden; but you can and should help your neighbors, the sick and the infirm.
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