Rituals and signs for Easter. Beliefs, signs and rituals for Easter

Easter falls on different days every year.

Easter 2017 for the Orthodox falls on April 16 (Sunday)

Easter in Russia, as in other countries, is a holiday of holidays, a celebration of celebrations. But today the world is changing rapidly, and most importantly, what remains unchanged is fading into the background. Rarely today do young people, especially in big cities, understand the meaning of Easter, go to confession and sincerely support age-old traditions. But Easter is the main Orthodox holiday, bringing light and joy to entire nations, to the families and soul of every believer.

According to ancient traditions, the main symbols of Orthodox Easter are Easter cake and decorated or painted eggs as a symbol of all living things, Water, symbolizing Easter streams, and the Holy Fire.

Easter, along with Christmas, is one of the most favorite holidays of the year. And, perhaps, the most beloved - it contains such a strong and bright faith in the all-conquering power of life, rebirth and true love that even non-believers feel it and become kinder and brighter in face and soul on Easter days. Moreover, spring has come, fasting is behind us - a great test of body and spirit, and ahead are hopes for a good year.

We believe more than ever that life will conquer death, that peace and love will come. This is why it is worth lighting a candle in church on Easter night. And precisely because life is so beautiful and so fragile, it is worth gathering at the family table, and especially on Holy Resurrection.

What is "Easter"?

Christians understand the word “Easter” as “the passage from death to life, from earth to heaven.” Believers observe strict fasting for forty days and celebrate Easter in honor of Jesus' victory over death.

The Jewish Passover is pronounced "Passover" (a Hebrew word) and means "passed by, passed by." The roots of this word go back to the history of the liberation of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery.

The New Testament says that the destroyer will pass by from those who accept Jesus. In some languages ​​the word is pronounced like this - “Piskha”.

This is an Aramaic name that spread to some European languages ​​and is still preserved today.

No matter how the word is pronounced, the essence of Easter does not change; for all believers this is the most important celebration. A bright holiday that brings joy and hope to the hearts of believers all over the Earth.

When is Easter celebrated?

Christian Easter is always celebrated on Sunday, only the dates change. Orthodox Easter 2017 falls on April 16 (Sunday). It is quite difficult to calculate the exact date yourself, because it is formed according to the solar-lunar calendar. Orthodox and Catholic Easter occur at different times because different calendar systems are used.

Easter greeting

From childhood, we teach children that when greeting a person on this holiday, you need to say: “Christ is Risen!” And answer these words: “Truly He is Risen!” To find out more about what this is connected with, you need to turn to the Bible.

The essence of Easter is the passage of Jesus to his Father. The story goes that Jesus was crucified on Friday (Passion). The body was taken down from the cross and buried. The coffin is a cave carved out of the rock, closed with a huge stone. The bodies of the dead (there were also victims) were wrapped in fabrics and rubbed with incense. But they did not have time to perform the ritual with the body of Jesus, since according to Jewish laws, working on the Sabbath is strictly prohibited.

Women - followers of Christ - on Sunday morning went to his tomb to perform the ritual themselves. An angel came down to them and told them that Christ had risen. Easter from now on will be the third day - the day of the resurrection of Christ.

Entering the tomb, the women were convinced of the words of the angel and conveyed this message to the apostles. And they told this good news to everyone. All believers and non-believers had to know that the impossible had happened, what Jesus said had happened - Christ had risen.

Orthodox Easter 2017: date, traditions, signs

In 2017, Orthodox Easter falls on April 16. This holiday has its own traditions, which were established gradually over many centuries. Since Easter is the brightest sign of everything alive and renewed, the main symbols of this day are considered Life(Easter cakes and painted eggs), Water(Easter streams) and Holy Fire. In all cities and villages on Easter night, people went to church, listened to the service, blessed water and an Easter basket with food.

After the service in church, it is customary to come home, set the table and break the fast. People who have kept a strict 48-day fast are especially looking forward to this day. First of all, you need to taste the egg, followed by the Easter cake. Once this ritual is completed, you can begin other treats.

The most favorite Easter fun is the egg battle. To do this, you need to take a decorated or painted egg and hit your opponent’s egg with either side. The winner is the one whose egg remains intact.

It is also customary to christen yourself on Easter. Young and old, children and adults, men and women, when meeting, should kiss a friend three times and say “Christ is Risen!”, and in response they will hear “Truly He is Risen!”

There are several Easter signs and rituals that have come to us since ancient times:

1. The one who comes home first after church service will be lucky all year.
2. By dipping gold jewelry in water with a blessed egg, you can attract wealth and success.
3. Roll an Easter egg across children's faces to protect them from the evil eye.
4. To preserve happiness in the home, you should not do any household chores on Easter.

To feel the magic and significance of Orthodox Easter, you do not have to be a deeply religious person. After all, this holiday, first of all, is about everything dear and important that people have: about goodness, about love, about children, about forgiveness. It’s also a wonderful tradition to visit all your relatives, get everyone together at a big table and just enjoy life

Signs for Easter

Each nation has its own unique signs associated with this day. Modern people do not always believe in them, but it is interesting to know about it.

Some peoples consider it a good omen to swim in a spring on Easter night and bring this water into the house.

On the eve of Easter, people clean up their homes, cook and bake, but in many countries it is considered a sin to work on Saturday. In Poland, Easter omens prohibit housewives from working on Friday, otherwise the entire village will be left without a harvest.

Easter: traditions of different countries

In many countries around the world, believers paint eggs and bake Easter cakes. There are a lot of recipes for Easter cakes, and in different countries they also differ in shape. Of course, this is not the essence of Easter, but these are traditions that have accompanied the holiday for many centuries.

In Russia, Bulgaria and Ukraine they “fight” with colored eggs.

In Greece, on the Friday before Easter, working with a hammer and nails is considered a great sin. At midnight from Saturday to Sunday, after the solemn service, when the priest proclaims “Christ is Risen!”, the night sky is illuminated by a grandiose fireworks display.

In the Czech Republic, on the Monday following Easter Sunday, girls are whipped as a compliment. And they can pour water on the young man.

Australians make chocolate Easter eggs and figurines of various animals. Ukrainian Easter eggs are called "pysanky". Children are given clean white eggs as a symbol of their long and bright path in life. And for the elderly - dark eggs with a complex pattern, as a sign that there were many difficulties in their lives.

Easter in Russia brings light and miracles to the homes of believers. Blessed Easter eggs are often credited with miraculous powers. On Sunday morning, when washing, a consecrated egg is placed in a basin of water, and each family member should wash with it, rubbing their cheeks and forehead.

The red Easter egg has a special symbolism. In Greece, red is the color of sorrow. Red eggs symbolize the tomb of Jesus, while broken eggs symbolize open tombs and the Resurrection.

Catholic Easter 2017: date, traditions, rituals

2017 is one of the few times when Catholic and Orthodox Easter are celebrated on the same day. Usually the difference between dates is several weeks. But this year, all Catholics will celebrate the day of the Resurrection of Christ April 16.

The symbol of the Easter holiday are colored eggs. In different countries they are painted according to their customs and preferences. For example, Western European Catholics paint eggs red without any additional stickers or designs. And in Central Europe, it is customary to decorate Easter eggs with beautiful ornaments, patterns and colorful flowers.

Another symbol of Catholic Easter is the hare, which, according to ancient belief, goes from house to house and places various treats in the Easter basket. The Easter Bunny is a popular creature among all Catholics. It is printed on postcards, made into chocolates in the shape of a hare, and baked. Souvenirs in the form of rabbits, which are made from clay, fabric, plastic and other materials, are popular.

The Roman Catholic Church holds the main service of the year from Maundy Thursday to Holy Resurrection. It is during this period that it is customary to remember all the torments that Christ suffered, his death and his resurrection.

As soon as the evening of Holy Saturday arrives, Catholic churches celebrate Easter Eve. The beginning of this action is the Liturgy of Light. A fire breaks out not far from the Temple, from which the priest takes a spark and lights a large Easter candle. With this candle, the clergyman enters the dark temple and pronounces an ancient hymn marking the resurrection of Christ. It is from the lit Paschal that Catholics light their candles.

After this action, the next one begins - the Liturgy of the Word, and then the Liturgy of Baptism. In the Catholic Church, it is customary for adults to be baptized immediately the night before the holiday. Believers consider this an honorable rite that makes their destiny happier.

As soon as the baptism ends, the Eucharistic Liturgy begins, and at the end of the service, “Christ is risen” is said. People in the temple must answer “Truly he is risen.” After which they go in procession around the temple.

An integral tradition of Catholic Easter is a family dinner. Catholics always have the most delicious treats on their table: sweets, pastries, meat dishes. The table itself is decorated with Easter decor.

What not to do on Easter

Easter is a pure holiday, during which a person cleanses his soul and body. On this great day you cannot do housework or go to work. There are, of course, exceptions - caring for sick people and children. Also, on Easter Day you cannot visit cemetery grounds. There is a special day for such moments, which occurs immediately after the Easter festivities end. Since the Day of the Holy Resurrection is considered a joyful day, it is forbidden to hold funeral services for the deceased.

On the pre-Easter and Easter days, the church does not hold weddings, citing the fact that the holiday was invented not for physical pleasures, but for complete spiritual and moral cleansing, thereby reviving the human soul.

Easter eggs, fragrant Easter cakes, church services - all this awaits us on Easter 2017. Read more about the numbers, signs, rituals and history of this holiday further in the article.

On Easter, the entire baptized world celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is why the traditional Easter greeting “Christ is Risen!” The history of the holiday, according to historians, goes back to Ancient Egypt.

The name of the holiday comes from the Hebrew verb “passover”, which means “pass over”. This refers to the exodus of the Jews from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. To protect their children from the tenth plague, on the last night in all houses where there were children, the door lintels were smeared with the blood of lambs. The lamb itself had to be eaten without breaking any bones. This sacrifice became a symbol of the Jewish Passover.

According to the Bible, the Last Supper was held on Easter. Instead of the lamb described in Exodus, Jesus sacrificed himself as a “Passover new Lamb, slain for the purification of the people once and for all.” Three days after the crucifixion, Jesus resurrected and this event is celebrated every year.

Christian Easter in 2017

Christian Easter 2017 is celebrated on Sunday April 16. The church doors will be open all night before the holiday to attend services, light eggs and Easter cakes. Easter cottage cheese is also a traditional Easter treat. According to the ritual, those who kept a strict fast until Easter must first taste the blessed egg, then the Easter cake, and then proceed to the rest of the dishes.

A favorite tradition for children and adults is the battle of eggs. The one whose egg survived wins, but the loser can safely enjoy the treat. Traditionally, eggs need to be painted on Maundy Thursday.

Today they use for decoration:

• various thermal stickers
• hand painted
• colorful crayons
• decorative elements

Catholic Easter in 2017

In 2017, Catholic Easter falls on April 16. This is a rare case when both Catholic and Orthodox Easter are celebrated on the same day. Traditional symbols are Easter eggs and the Easter bunny, which is not in the traditions of the Orthodox Church. It is believed that the Easter Bunny visits homes secretly and places treats in baskets.

Church services begin on Thursday and are held until the Great Resurrection. The evening of Holy Saturday is illuminated by the Liturgy of Light, the priest lights the Easter candle from a fire lit near the church. Then the priest brings the candle into the dark temple and the rest of the candles are lit from it.

Another tradition is called the Liturgy of Baptism, adults undergo the rite of baptism the night before the holiday.

Jewish Passover 2017

The Jewish Passover is celebrated for 7 days, it begins this year April 11 and will last until 18. Its second name is Passover.

Passover is celebrated in memory of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, and on this day it is necessary to tell children about these events. The first and last days of Passover are officially considered public holidays in Israel. You need to prepare for the celebration in advance, clean your apartment or house and get rid of any fermentation products. Some families even set the table with special dishes for this holiday.

Holy week before Easter

The name “passion” symbolizes the suffering of Jesus Christ, and the entire week is devoted to preparation for the great holiday.

• All preparations begin at Monday, you can already start cleaning the house in order to get it done before Thursday. Fasting during Holy Week is the strictest; you cannot eat eggs, meat, dairy products and fish.
• Tuesday can be dedicated to reconciliation with relatives and friends, as well as preparing and sewing seven new clothes for Easter.
• IN Wednesday They are engaged in making Easter symbols from branches and straw - this decoration is hung in the middle of the room.
• IN Thursday It is necessary to complete all the preparations at home for the holiday, prepare Thursday salt and paint the eggs.
• Friday dedicated to prayer, any housework is prohibited.
• IN Saturday it is necessary to prepare for the all-night service, put Easter cakes and eggs in baskets.
• IN Sunday We celebrate the holiday of Easter with joy and joy. You definitely need to meet with your parents and relatives, christen yourself and beat eggs.

What do you do on Maundy Thursday before Easter?

On Maundy Thursday the main preparations for Easter begin. You definitely need to clean your house or apartment and wash yourself. On Thursday they also do a lot of laundry, change bed linen, curtains, tablecloths, and prepare the house for a bright and clean holiday. When washing windows, coins are placed in a basin of water so that there is always money in the house. It is important to note that cleaning the rest of the days before Easter is considered a bad omen.

One of the signs says that money counted three times on Maundy Thursday will bring prosperity to the family. Housewives can start preparing Easter cakes, Easter cakes and painting eggs. Believers visit Temples for prayer and Communion.

Rituals on Maundy Thursday before Easter

According to the behests of our ancestors, observance of all rituals and customs foreshadowed a comfortable year, peace and harmony would reign in the family, and unmarried girls would meet their betrothed.

The most common rituals:

1. Rite of Ablution, it is important to get up before dawn and wash before the first rays.
2. The ritual of washing the silver, then the evil spirits will not come close.
3. Love spell for a loved one, if there is not enough man in your life, then while tidying up, make a place for him, for his future toothbrush, razor, clothes.
4. In Rus', a ritual of “sowing money” was often carried out; coins were placed in a sieve and on the street, while no one was looking, it was necessary to scatter them.
5. The ritual of preparing Thursday salt, which cures diseases and brings happiness and good luck into the house.

Folk signs for Easter 2017

Based on how Easter goes, they used to be able to predict the future, for example:

• Great luck awaits the one who comes home from church first
• A married couple should celebrate Christ in private so as not to bring quarrels into the house
• Hearing the sound of a woodpecker means finding your own home
• Wash your face with water from a red colored egg - preserve beauty and youth for a long time
• Thunderstorm at Easter for late and dry autumn
• Frost on Easter for a fruitful summer
• Seeing a man first in the window on Good Friday means three months of happiness and luck

When are Maslenitsa and Easter in 2017?

Maslenitsa is celebrated in the last week before Lent; in 2017 it falls from February 20 to 26. Maslenitsa is celebrated 7 weeks before Easter, and the countdown goes in the opposite direction from the church holiday of the Resurrection of Christ. Maslenitsa, unlike Easter, has pagan roots and glorifies the Sun God - Yarila, and pancakes, which are necessarily baked all week, symbolize the solar disk.

Why is Easter celebrated on different days every year?

Easter is celebrated on the first full moon of spring and, depending on the solar-lunar calendar, this date falls between April 4 and May 8. The holiday will mark the end of the 48-day Lent.

When is parent's day after Easter?

Radonitsa, or parent's day, is celebrated on the second Tuesday after Easter or on the ninth day after it. In 2017, Radonitsa falls on April 25. On the day of special remembrance of the dead, it is customary to visit the graves of departed relatives, bring them colored eggs and Easter cakes, sharing a meal with them and celebrating Easter.

What do you do on Good Friday before Easter?

According to the Bible, on the Friday after Passover, Jesus Christ was crucified on Golgotha. Believers must attend church on this day. The churches hold morning and evening services, and the doors are open to everyone.

On Good Friday you cannot:

• clean the house
• prepare
• wash
• have fun
• work with the earth
• listen to loud music
• overeat

The whole day should be devoted to spiritual improvement and prayer.

Compliance with all signs and rituals, exact fulfillment of the instructions of the church is always at your discretion. May this holiday be bright and bring peace, harmony and prosperity to your family! Christ is risen!

Video: What to do for Easter, signs

Easter: history

It is known that the holiday of the Holy Resurrection of Christ is the biggest holiday in the Orthodox Church.

The word “Easter” itself appeared in our language from Greek and is translated as “rebirth”, “deliverance”. History says that about 3.5 thousand years ago, the Jews gave new meaning to the Canonian holiday of welcoming spring - on this day they also began to celebrate the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, described in the Old Testament.

And about 2 thousand years ago, the holiday of Easter acquired another meaning - on this day Jesus Christ was resurrected. On this day we celebrate the deliverance through Christ the Savior of mankind from slavery to the devil and the granting of life and eternal bliss to us. It is believed that Christ's death on the cross accomplished atonement, and His Resurrection granted eternal life.

Easter: traditions and customs

On Easter, it is customary for believers to visit churches and celebrate the traditional Easter meal. Easter is also put on the table.

Celebrated for seven days. Customs recommend that housewives stay at home on the first day, and men go home and congratulate friends and relatives. On this day, tables must be set all the time, because you can no longer eat non-lenten food. Ordinary food is welcome: appetizer-herring, soup, chicken, potatoes, meat, pickles, salads. For dessert, Easter cakes, cakes and cheese Easter. The guest sits at the table for about half an hour, and then goes to another house. It is definitely worth visiting your closest relatives, especially the elderly. It is not customary to give gifts on this day.

The tradition of giving each other colored eggs and generally considering them a symbol of the holiday comes from the legend that Mary Magdalene presented an egg to Emperor Teberius as a sign of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He said that this was impossible, and then it turned red. Therefore, now there is a custom to paint eggs and decorate them in every possible way.

There was another important tradition - bridesmaids. Unmarried girls were dressed up in the most beautiful outfits and played bacha. The girl took a painted stick and hit the figure that was lying on the ground, making special efforts. And the guys watched and chose the best one.

Easter: how to behave on holiday

Everyone around each other should congratulate each other with the words on their lips: “Christ is Risen!”, and in response say: “Truly He is Risen!”, kiss three times on the cheek and exchange Easter gifts.

You can’t quarrel with someone or be offended by someone. If you still have old grievances, then the most correct thing to do is to let them go and forgive them. Or talk to this person to resolve the conflict.

It is not recommended to go to the cemetery on this day. As the clergy say, this custom came to us from Soviet history, when Orthodox churches were closed or completely destroyed. Although according to church canons you should not go to the cemetery on this bright day, it is best to do this on the ninth day of Easter - Radonitsa.

You can’t work on Easter; you should devote time to spiritual enlightenment and good deeds. Also, all carnal pleasures should not be present on this day. Celebrating a wedding at this time is also not a good idea; it is better to postpone it.

Easter: signs

– The person who will be the first to see the sunrise on this day will not know the troubles.

– To get rid of troubles, bad luck and quarrels, you need to burn a cross on the doorframe with an Easter candle.

– It is believed that a child born on this day will become a famous person. And those who were born during Easter week will have good health and fortitude. Great people, who can even change the course of history, are born not just on Easter Sunday, but also at noon and with a shirt on.

– There was a tradition for the elderly to comb their hair, saying the wish that they have as many grandchildren as there are hairs on their heads.

– If you scoop up water from a spring or river on Easter night, then, according to popular belief, it will have special power.

– If you are constantly experiencing difficulties with money, be sure to give a coin to a beggar at Easter and feed the birds - you will not be in need all year long.

– It’s good to ride on a swing on Easter (and throughout Easter week). This is a ritual of fanning. They say it blows away all sins.

– Hearing a cuckoo means an addition to the family or an imminent marriage; the knock of a woodpecker means the appearance of housing.

Orthodox and Catholic Easter in 2017

It is known that Catholics and Orthodox Christians usually celebrate this holiday at different times. The celebration of Easter among believers of these two faiths falls on the same day only a couple of times a decade. The reason for this is the difference in the calendars: Gregorian and Julian. Note that there is a gap of 13 days between them, but the day on which Easter will be celebrated in a particular year depends on the phases of the sun and moon. Therefore, differences in calendars vary from week to week and beyond. In 2017, Orthodox and Catholic Easter will be celebrated on the same day - April 16. The next time this will happen only in eight years - in 2025, and then in 2028.

Translated from Greek, the word “Easter” means deliverance. The miracle of the Resurrection of the Son of God is called the “crown of faith,” because it marked the beginning of the spread of Christianity throughout the world.

The symbols of this day are colored eggs and Easter cakes. One day, Mary Magdalene, preaching the faith of Christ, came to the Roman Emperor Tiberius and, as a sign of respect, presented him with a chicken egg as a gift. He was surprised and said that he would believe her words if the gift changed color before his eyes. The egg immediately turned red. Since then, on Easter, Christians have colored eggs and exchanged them.

The shape of the Easter cake resembles the mound that was made when the apostles, eating without Christ, set aside pieces of bread for him. Thus, by eating Easter cake, we praise the Lord and accept his teaching.

When is Easter in 2017?

Attract the groom for Easter

Be sure to go to church April 16, 2017. Use your words to thank God for this day. When the bells ring, whisper three times the words for a successful future: “Christ has risen, and I have a successful year without worries. Amen!".

Unmarried girls need to attend the entire holiday service in church so as not to miss the chance to attract a worthy soul mate. During the service, listen to the priest. In the words “Christ is Risen!” have time to say: “It’s Sunday of Christ, send a single guy quickly for me. Amen!".

How to improve family relationships on Easter

With the help of a red egg blessed in the church on Easter, you can improve family relationships. To do this, take it and lower it down a small slide, saying this: “The egg goes down - the troubles in the house stop. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit! Amen!".

Easter is the most important holiday of the year for every Orthodox person. Over the course of several centuries, this day has acquired many popular signs and beliefs. Some of them have reached our time unchanged.

If the sun shines brightly on Easter, then summer will be clear and hot. If it rains, then the summer will also be cold and rainy.

It is believed that if a bird flies to the windowsill on Easter morning, then it is the soul of a deceased relative who has come to visit his relatives.

In order for the whole year to pass in joy and prosperity, the whole family needs to have breakfast on Easter morning.

Eating a piece of homemade cake means attracting wealth. To deprive this food of your attention is to invite poverty.

To meet the dawn on the holiday of the Resurrection of Christ is a great happiness.

If a girl hits her elbow on Easter day, then fate will soon take her by the hand and lead her to her betrothed.

You can get rid of the evil eye and damage on Easter by crossing yourself with a blessed egg.

If a small child cries bitterly on Easter, then it’s time for the parents to go to church and go to confession. It is believed that through the child the Guardian Angel makes it clear to parents that their souls have too much burden of sins.

If you were given an egg and it peeled off, it’s a big sin on you.

Unexpected guests on Easter mean great wealth.

Going for a visit on Easter day yourself will open up new paths to happiness and good luck.

If during a festive meal the Easter cake is eaten first and entirely, the year will be extremely successful.

Feeding the birds on Easter means getting rid of past failures and even illnesses.

If a stray cat or dog comes to your house on the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, this is a sign of great wealth and unexpected joy. In order for well-being to become a part of your life, animals should be fed from the heart.

Borrowing money to a friend for Easter means a big financial increase in the near future.

Spilling salt on Easter day means grief in the family.

Finding a bouquet of consecrated willow on the road means trouble.

Spilling water, tea or coffee before sunset on Sunday means tears. After sunset - to tears of joy.

Oversleeping through the morning service if you were not at the night service is a big disaster.

Drawing a cross on the front door frame with soot from an Easter candle will protect your home from troubles and fire for the whole year.

If a child was born on Easter, be strong and healthy.

It is believed that a person who dies on Easter goes straight to Heaven. All sins committed during his lifetime are forgiven, and at the funeral a red blessed Easter egg is placed in the right hand of the deceased.

It is believed that on the Day of Resurrection you must go on a swing: all sins will be blown away by the wind.

During the morning meal, married couples beat colored eggs against each other: it is believed that the one whose shell remains intact will be the head of the family all year.

Hearing a cuckoo at sunset on Easter Sunday means the birth of a child, and the sound of a woodpecker means a new home.

Cutting yourself until you bleed on Easter means illness, and shedding someone else’s blood means taking on all the sins of that person.

If a thunderstorm came on the Resurrection of Christ, then the summer will be long and warm, and the autumn will be late and dry.

If Easter night is clear and starry, there will be frost the next day.

Easter rituals and fortune telling

Despite the fact that clergy strongly discourage fortune telling during Easter week, several long-standing rituals that attract wealth and prosperity continue to be used for many years.

Ritual for wealth

This simple ritual is performed on the first evening after the Easter night service. For the ritual you will need:

• soup plate;
• a handful of millet, a handful of sunflower seeds and a handful of bread crumbs;
• church candle.

At sunset, you need to stay alone, install and light a candle, and then read any prayer that you know and feel.

Place a plate in front of the candle, take a handful of millet, and, pouring it into the container, say the words:

“Millet grains are like suns. The hens will peck the millet and lay golden eggs. Gold flows into my house! Amen".

Then take a handful of sunflower seeds in your hands and pour it into the millet with the words:

“Just as a sunflower grew and reached to the heavens, so wealth reaches out to me, sprouts from the ground, bears fruits and seeds. Amen".

After this, pour the bread crumbs into the same plate, saying the following words:

“Golden rye grows, God’s bread is baked and life is prolonged. Just as crumbs cannot turn into seeds, so no one can take away my wealth. Amen".

Mix the grains, seeds and crumbs in a bowl, wait until the candle burns out, and give the contents of the plate to the birds, saying the following words:

“As soon as the bird pecks the last grain, wealth will come to my doorstep! Amen".

Fortune telling on Easter cake

You can learn how the year will go for each family member by looking at the Easter cake. To do this, you need to knead the dough with your own hands and divide it into as many parts as there are people in your family.

Having formed the cakes, you need to name each one after one of your household members. After this, the cakes need to be baked, and after they are ready, carefully examine them.

• if the cake turns out to be the correct shape, evenly baked, then this relative will have a good and successful year;
• an Easter cake that is burnt or has fallen over on one side predicts many difficulties and illnesses;
• if the Easter cake falls apart or burns, this is a big disaster.

Folk signs about happiness will help you find out about the joy and well-being that is on your doorstep. We wish you a happy Easter. Smile more often and don’t forget to press the buttons and