Today is Christmas carnival, tonight before bed, make sure to do one important thing and say these words

Santo Apóstol Felipe, Photo: silkscreen

Great Christmas Lent begins tomorrow which will last until the feast of the birth of Christ on January 7.

Today, November 27, the Orthodox Church and its believers celebrate the holiday dedicated to the Holy Apostle Philip, as well as the Christmas procession, the last day meat and white meat are allowed this year.

That is, the Great Christmas Lent begins tomorrow, which will last until the feast of the birth of Christ on January 7, which is why this feast is sometimes called the fast of Philip.

The Holy Apostle Philip was born in Bethsaida near the Sea of ​​Galilee. He zealously preached the gospel in Asia and Greece, where the Jews wanted to kill him, but God saved him with powerful miracles. Thus, the Jewish bishop, who hastened to beat Philip, suddenly went blind and blackened.

He was assassinated at the age of 86 by being crucified on a tree by pagans and Bartholomew. People ran to take them off, but they only managed to save Bartholomew, while Philip died.

The relics of San Felipe were later transferred to Rome.

According to the old popular belief, on this day you should prepare a rich dinner and rejoice with your family.

That is, the celebration of Christmas is preceded by a great Christmas fast that lasts 40 days, but is preceded by carnivals or Christmas parties. They abound in various popular customs.

Carnival is considered to be a day of forgiveness and joy, so parades of masked actors are organized, who visit the settlements with noise and music and perform various tricks.

After the carnival, fasting begins, which means abstaining from fatty foods, animal foods, and alcoholic beverages. It is bodily fasting, while spiritual fasting also means refraining from bad thoughts, desires and the most important actions.

In that way, they fight against the forces of evil and witches, who are believed to have a greater influence during carnival.

Different customs are associated with this day, which depends from one extreme to another. Somewhere after dinner, all the chains in the house are tied, the shells of the eaten eggs are thrown into the fire, the plants are rubbed with garlic, and the children put on their pajamas and T-shirts turned up before going to bed.

There is a belief that at night the soles of the feet should be rubbed with garlic and the following words should be said: “A witch like a thread, my teeth like a stake.”