For more than 10 years, Russia has been arguing about when to celebrate Family Day. Some adhere to Western traditions and on February 14 give their loved ones “Valentines” and declare their love. Other admirers of family values are confident that the country has its own worthy historical figures. The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity is celebrated in all cities of Russia and even neighboring countries, but the initiative for a new calendar date, as they say, comes “from above.” Has the holiday taken root in our country? On the eve of July 8, we remember why Saints Peter and Fevronya are famous, in whose honor the holiday appeared.
Who are Peter and Fevronia
Saints Peter and Fevronia are Orthodox patrons of family and marriage. Under these names, adopted after tonsure, the Murom prince Davyd Yuryevich , who reigned from 1205 to 1228, and his wife Euphrosyne .
The prince and princess were canonized in 1547, and then their life was written, known as “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom.”
According to the life, even before taking the throne of Murom, the future saint fought with a fiery serpent, which took the form of his brother. Peter killed the snake, but became dirty with poisonous blood and fell ill with leprosy. In a dream, an angel appeared to the future prince and said that the simple peasant woman Fevronia would bring salvation. The girl was found, she really expressed her readiness to help, but on the condition that Peter marries her.
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Peter promised, but did not fulfill his promise. However, Fevronia played it safe - she left the prince with one untreated ulcer. The prince finally had to marry a commoner, but in the end he was cured, and they lived together for a long time and, according to legend, happily. They had three children.
True, there were difficulties in the prince’s family due to the fact that the boyars did not want a simple princess, but gradually everyone in Murom fell in love with Fevronia for her meek disposition and talent for healing.
Towards the end of their lives, Peter and Fevronia took monastic vows and ended up in different monasteries: he was in a male monastery, she was in a female monastery. According to their prayer, Peter and Fevronia died on the same day and hour (their death is remembered on July 8). But the will of Peter and Fevronia - to bury them in the same coffin - was not fulfilled: it was considered indecent.
The saints were buried in different monasteries, but the next day they miraculously found themselves together in one coffin. They tried to separate them several more times, but then they finally decided to bury them together.
The history of the origin of the holiday - why July 8th?
The Day of Family, Love and Fidelity is timed to coincide with the Orthodox holiday: on July 8, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the day of remembrance of Saints Peter and Fevronia. However, this date has long gone beyond the Orthodox calendar and the first to advocate the emergence of a new holiday were residents of the city of Murom, Vladimir Region.
The date has been celebrated in Murom, the small homeland of Prince Peter and his wife Fevronia, since the 1990s. Only a few years passed and the holiday grew into a citywide one. In the early 2000s, the celebration of the city day was moved to July 8 (the date of death of the spouses). In Murom, mass celebrations, concerts, public events began to be held, and exhibitions of handicrafts were organized.
In 2006, the residents of Murom decided to immortalize their heroes and collected about 20,000 signatures with a request to declare the day of memory of the princes an all-Russian holiday. The figure is impressive: in Murom itself, according to official data, 109,000 people live. The initiative was supported by regional authorities, the State Duma, the Federation Council and the Russian Orthodox Church.
Who are Peter and Fevronia?
Since 2008, the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity has been celebrated throughout Russia, but few people remember the history of the saints. We invite you to mentally travel back to 1203, when the noble prince ascended the throne in Murom. Several years before this event, he fell ill with leprosy. The medicine of those years could not boast of advanced achievements and technologies, so no one in the principality was able to heal the ruler. You could only rely on your own immunity and luck.
Such a case also happened to Peter - one day he dreamed that Fevronia, the daughter of a “tree climber” (the girl’s father extracted wild honey) from the village of Laskovo near Ryazan, could cure him. According to legend, the forest inhabitants listened to her and she knew about the properties of medicinal herbs. After healing, the prince married a pious healer. And everything would be fine, but the newlyweds were not at all suitable for each other in terms of social status. The boyars did not accept the union of the prince and the commoner. The couple decided to flee Murom along the Oka River, give up all privileges and live a simple and peaceful life.
Alas, this did not last long. Fights for the throne began in the principality and turmoil reigned. Residents of Murom asked Peter and Fevronia to return. The prince and princess agreed, and for good reason - during the years of their reign they gained people's love. At the end of their lives, the couple took monastic vows with the names David and Euphrosyne and died in different monasteries on June 25 (July 8, new style) 1228. By the will of the deceased, their bodies rest in a common coffin with a thin partition.
Canonization of saints
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Now the relics of the saints are in the Holy Trinity Convent (Murom). Almost three centuries later, in 1547, the couple was canonized by the church. Many rulers came to venerate the relics of Peter and Fevronia: Peter I, Catherine II, Nicholas I, Alexander II.
The story of the noble princes was reflected in ancient Russian literature - everyone knows “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia”. Academician Sergei Likhachev called the relationship between the characters a “union of love” and a “wise marriage.” However, there were also experts who did not accept this couple. The fact is that, according to legend, after the healing Peter deceived the girl and did not want to get married. The marriage was concluded only after the illness returned and Fevronia helped Peter for the second time.
In addition, judging by historical documents, the couple did not have children. Opponents of veneration of the faithful are confident that such a union cannot fully be a model for a Christian couple. They even cite as an example Cyril and Maria of Radonezh, who were a couple with many children and did not encounter all sorts of misadventures along the way.
Do not overshadow family holidays by worrying about your child - always know where he is and what is happening in his environment. For example, when you go to a mass event. Download the “Where are my children” application from the AppStore and GooglePlay.
Peter and Fevronia Day: folk signs
In the Slavic tradition, this time was considered favorable from the point of view of safety from all evil spirits. People believed that at this time mermaids and mermaids finally sank to the bottom of reservoirs and fell asleep there until the next spring. Therefore, on these days, which, by the way, coincide with the national holiday of Ivan Kupala , you can swim without fear, right up to Ilyin’s Day (August 2). Moreover, according to weather signs, another forty hot days are expected from Peter and Fevronia.
On Peter and Fevronia, the first mowing was usually carried out and field and forest herbs were collected - it was believed that this was the day of their full maturity, which means they have maximum healing properties.
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Signs
- On July 8, a national holiday is celebrated - Fevronia the Mermaid, because from this day on, mermaids dance in circles and go far into the depths of reservoirs, so from this day on you can safely swim in rivers and lakes. After all, the existence of mermaids has always been believed in Rus'; they were considered protectors of natural elements. They were presented as beautiful girls with long hair and a fish tail; they could scare a person and even drown them. People more often considered them to be evil spirits, and whoever wore a pectoral cross was under special protection and mermaids did not approach him.
- The Russian Orthodox Church takes an active part in festive events; churches are decorated with daisies - a symbol of purity and love.
- If this day is hot, which is typical for the month of July, there will be forty days of heat. It's still a hot time, because the time for big haymaking begins in the fields.
Is it possible to marry Peter and Fevronia
In Rus', Peter and Fevronia were traditionally prayed for family happiness, and according to ancient Slavic tradition, weddings began on this day. According to popular beliefs, the happiest marriages are concluded between Peter and Fevronia, especially if the young people “conspired” during joint games on Ivan Kupala.
Today, registering a marriage at the registry office on the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity on July 8 is also considered a good omen, promising a long and happy family life. But it will not be possible to get married in church on this day - according to church rules, weddings are not held during Lent. But in Orthodoxy, the long and very strict Petrine Fast ends only on July 11th.
Traditions and rituals of the holiday
On this day, services are held in churches. Parishioners attend services. Spouses pray to Saints Peter and Fevronia for family well-being, and those entering into marriage ask for blessings. Christians make a pilgrimage to the Holy Trinity Convent in Murom, where the relics of saints are kept.
On this day, many loving couples get married or get engaged. It is believed that such families will live in peace and harmony. Lovers and unmarried girls believe that on July 8 magical forces rule the earth. On this day, they tell fortunes about their betrothed and cast love spells.
Day of Family, Love and Fidelity
This holiday has been officially celebrated in Russia since 2008 precisely because it is associated with the names of saints who are “responsible” for a lasting marriage.
In 2008, the Federation Council unanimously approved the establishment of a new state holiday on the Day of Saints Peter and Fevronia. The holiday was called the All-Russian Day of Married Love and Family Happiness. Later, the official name of the holiday became the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity.
On this day, the President of Russia traditionally presents awards to the best Russian families; other events are also held, both related to the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church and completely secular ones.
How well has this holiday taken root in Russia?
Peter and Fevronia Day has a semantic component that combines St. Valentine's Day and Family Day. On the one hand, this is truly a full-fledged answer to Saint Valentine. The holiday is based not only on love, but also on spiritual and moral values. On the other hand, married couples themselves have not gotten used to the new holiday over the past 12 years, as evidenced by sociological surveys on the Internet. Perhaps the reason is that the new calendar date is served under some kind of official sauce, which residents do not associate with sincerity and simplicity. Or perhaps the reason is completely different and too little time has passed for the holiday to take root in our culture and become a truly important date for every family.
In any case, there is never too much love. Therefore, do not forget to congratulate your partner or life partner on the holiday on July 8 and spend the day with your family.
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When, how and who celebrates this day
The Day of Love and Fidelity is celebrated by Orthodox people practically unchanged. Previously, the holiday was popular only in the city of Murom, where it was born. Now the date July 8 is glorified not only in Russia, but also in other countries. According to the traditions of each region or country, the conditional rules may change slightly, but the main direction of the holiday - love and family happiness - are not subject to amendments.
Daily task
During the day, mass holiday celebrations take place in many regions of Russia. Children are more often involved. They are told about the importance of behavior in family relationships, taught to love their neighbors and do good deeds. Also throughout the country, services are held in Orthodox churches, in which anyone can take part.
The best way to immerse yourself in the holiday atmosphere is to visit the city of Murom. Large-scale events have been taking place there since the 1990s. Local residents walk around with bouquets of daisies, children make flowers out of paper. If you want to know more about the Holy Couple, then you can visit the “Village of Fevronia”. It contains a collection of paintings by local artists that show the girl’s life before she met Peter. Having visited the Princely Palace, you can see the restored building where Peter once lived. At the end of the day, the city hosts concerts with the participation of pop stars, and at the end fireworks are launched.
What you can and cannot eat on Peter and Fevronia Day
The holiday falls on the week of Peter's Lent. Orthodox people know that this fast is not particularly strict and prohibits the consumption of food. You cannot eat only meat and dairy products, as well as eggs. As for the day of Peter and Fevronia itself, it is allowed to eat fish, mushrooms, various cereals and vegetable oil. As with any church fast, you cannot drink alcohol or overeat.
What not to do on Peter and Fevronia Day
According to Orthodox charters, it is forbidden to get married on Family and Fidelity Day, since the holiday falls during the period of Pavlovsk fasting. Also during this period, fortune telling and the use of black magic are prohibited. However, in Ancient Rus', on the Day of Peter and Fevronia, young girls used various spells to cast a love spell on their betrothed, including fortune telling using daisies.
Is it possible to have a wedding on this day?
Many couples mistakenly believe that getting married on July 8 will bring them a strong marriage and love. In fact, this is forbidden to do, since during this period there is a church fast. In this case, the best option would be to register the marriage at the registry office, and get married after passing the post.
The wedding should take place without drinking alcohol, with pure intentions, among relatives and friends. The essence of such a marriage is that each of those present understands what an important act this is and shares responsibility for the family with their other half.
Toasts
On a wedding or anniversary day, guests congratulate the heroes of the occasion and wish them a long family life, fidelity and strong love. Also in toasts, couples are advised to refrain from any temptations, avoid quarrels and insults, and forgive each other all mistakes.
Here is one of the toasts that a guest says to a married couple:
Let Peter and Fevronia become the patrons of your hearts and strongest feelings. Appreciate each other and give in to everything. On this wonderful day, I wish that the hearth in your home burns with bright feelings, love and a cozy and pleasant atmosphere reigns.
Present
On this day, the best gift will be attention and care. Visit your relatives and give them bouquets of daisies. For the woman you love, make a romantic dinner, buy a postcard, write kind words. Tell her how much you love her and are happy to live with her. Thank her for her attention and patience, and finally, tell her how beautiful she always looks.
For the man you love, the best gift would be a cooked dinner. Give him some accessory - a tie or a watch. Create a romantic atmosphere, look at photos of past years, remember the best moments.
Nowadays, the holiday of Peter and Fevronia is celebrated in different ways. Some people follow traditions and spend time with their families, while others prefer to go on picnics and have parties.
Competitions
At weddings and city holiday celebrations, an enormous number of competitions are held. Since every year, the Day of Love and Fidelity is gaining more and more popularity, accordingly, there are more hosts with new competitions. Let's consider the most popular:
- "Dressing room". Families gather around the bag and take out any item or clothing one by one. In the future, the selected item will need to be applied to yourself. This can be either underwear or a pacifier with diapers.
- "Script for a fairy tale." Each family member must write a certain part of the fairy tale that he himself invented. In this case, the script is written by each participant on a new sheet of paper. Upon completion, all sheets are collected by the presenter and read out loud. This is one of the most common competitions for the holiday of Peter and Fevronia.
- "Dancing". A banal but interesting competition that is used not only on July 8th. Families are divided into teams, and each participant must dance to any genre of music for exactly 1 minute. At the end of the competition, the family whose dance the public liked the most wins.
Each host at the city festival comes up with his own competitions that are related to family and love.
Congratulations, wishes
The name of the holiday speaks for itself, so the couples are wished many years of marriage, strong love and understanding. Peter and Fevronia Day is a significant holiday not only for young married couples, but also for families who have been married for decades.
Present
Jewelry decoration. The jewelry will serve as a memorable gift for your loved one or spouse. A ring, bracelet or pendant with a pendant can be decorated with an engraving in the form of a beautiful phrase or the date of your acquaintance.
Romantic dinner. A romantic dinner by candlelight will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a first date and enjoy communicating with each other. You can arrange such an evening at home and cook your favorite dishes yourself or book a table at a restaurant.
Photoshoot. A “love story” style photo session will allow you to take high-quality professional photographs that will decorate your photo album and become a symbol of love.
Traveling together. Surprise your spouse or lover. Book a tour to an exotic resort or sea cruise. Such a gift will allow you to spend a vacation or weekend together and leave vivid memories.
Interesting Facts
- In 2008, the organizing committee of the holiday established the medal “For Love and Fidelity.” The award is presented annually on July 8 to spouses who have been married for at least 25 years and set a public example of a strong family life. On one side of the medal there is a daisy depicted, on the reverse - Saints Peter and Fevronia.
- The Murom miracle workers were also considered patrons of the Russian tsars. They were revered and made pilgrimages to their relics by Ivan the Terrible, Tsarina Irina Godunova, Peter I, Catherine II, Nicholas I, Alexander II.
- On July 8, many young couples want to legalize their marriage. However, wedding ceremonies are limited to the registry office. Since the holiday falls on Peter's Fast, the wedding has to be adjusted before its completion.
- In Russia, family law originated during the reign of Peter I. He emphasized voluntary marriage. Relatives from the bride and groom took an oath, which stated that they did not force the newlyweds to start a family.
- The tradition of wearing wedding rings comes from Ancient Egypt. As a sign of love, boys and girls exchanged rings woven from reeds. This tradition took root among the Greeks and Romans. In Rome, during the engagement, the guy gave the bride's parents a metal ring as a sign that he was taking upon himself the responsibility of caring for his future wife.
What not to do on July 8
Since this is the time of Peter's Fast , you cannot eat meat, dairy and eggs. Wednesday is one of the strictest days of fasting. The monastic charter prescribes dry eating (cold raw food), while laymen are allowed boiled lean food without oil. Alcohol is strictly prohibited.
Evil and unclean thoughts must not be tolerated; unseemly actions are strictly condemned.
According to the rules of fasting, spouses should try to avoid physical intimacy, but families usually regulate these issues themselves.
But romantic dates on this day are welcome, but young people should not cross the boundaries of strict decency, otherwise, according to signs, family life will not work out: either the young people will quarrel before the wedding, or the marriage will quickly fall apart.
Competitions
Romantic acquaintance Couples take part in the competition. Their task is to tell and show the story of their acquaintance. Guests of the festival evaluate the creativity and acting skills of the contestants and award prizes.
The Largest Family This competition is suitable for families with children. Family members stand in a circle and hug tightly. The presenter uses a measuring tape to measure their circumference. The family that turns out to be the largest wins.
Dance Marathon Married couples and parents with children can take part in the competition. The presenter turns on the music. It is necessary to prepare in advance compositions of various styles, 1 minute each: lambada, waltz, rock and roll, tango, and so on. The task of the contestants is to adapt to musical styles as quickly as possible. The audience applauds to determine the winners.
Icon of Peter and Fevronya - what does it help with
In iconography, the image of a married couple is an exception. On different icons the spouses are depicted, sometimes as a young woman, sometimes as an old woman. The icon depicting a couple carries a deep meaning - it is an example of overcoming everyday problems, serving God and the people, loyalty and support, and a powerful amulet for the family.
What you can ask for help with:
- find a life partner;
- ask for harmony in marriage, strengthening family ties;
- help resolve family problems;
- resolve problems with the birth and upbringing of offspring.
Prayer near the icon inspires hope, calms, gives hope for eternal life, that even after earthly life the hearts of those who love will be together. With its help, you can resolve a conflict after a quarrel, save a marriage, maintain chastity, become more patient, curb anger and irritation, and receive healing from mental illness.
The prayer is read after the morning (evening) rule or at another time, but always after the prayer “Our Father!” Until the problem is resolved, prayer is read every day.
Briefly about the history of lovers
The fact that Peter and his beloved Fevronya once lived learned from a story written by the monk Ermolai the Sinful (XVI century). Her characters were loved, and their life's ups and downs were close to many. In order for descendants to know how great the power of love is, history was passed down in oral stories and rewritten.
Now we can say that if it were not for the tragic situation in the life of Prince Peter, who lived in Murom, there would not have been a story that the whole world knows about. It all started with the prince falling ill with leprosy, which at that time had no cure. Once in a dream he had a vision that Fevronya, who lived in the Ryazan province, could heal him.
The messengers sent there actually found a girl, the daughter of a beekeeper, with that name. She turned out to be a healer, treated many complex diseases and was able to help the prince - the manifestations of leprosy disappeared. He, promising to take her as his wife, returned home, but, fearing condemnation, did not go for Fevronia. Surprisingly, after such a decision, the disease began to plague me again with even greater force.
Peter, putting aside all prejudices and fears, returned for the girl, took her with him and, after some time, they got married. But the happiness of the lovers was hampered by their surroundings - the boyars did not want to see a commoner as a companion to the young prince, who by that time had occupied the princely throne. The prince chose to renounce the throne, but not love, and left Murom with his wife. After a while, the boyars came to their senses, and the prince resumed his duties.
Having grown old, they decided to end their days in monastic solitude. Monasteries, male and female, were nearby, but Peter and Fevronya did not meet, but learned all the news about each other from correspondence. While corresponding, they agreed to ask God to give them the opportunity to go into another world together, to put them in one house, building a thin partition.
The request was heard - their hearts stopped beating almost simultaneously. But, despite their request, they were buried separately. However, it is incomprehensible how their bodies ended up together! This happened more than once. Then the clergy finally fulfilled the request and buried the lovers nearby.
In 1547, Peter and Fevronya were canonized as saints, and now their relics are located within the walls of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Murom. There are always a lot of people around them; people come here to pray, ask for health, healing from illness, and help in solving family problems.
