Folk holiday on July 8: Procopius the reaper, Fevronia the mermaid.
What holiday is today, July 8 / UNIAN collage, photo ua.depositphotos.com
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine honors the memory of the Great Martyr Procopius of Caesarea on July 8 according to the new style. According to the old style, the holiday today commemorates the holy virgin and martyr Fevronia of Nisibis.
The folk holiday of July 8 has long been considered dangerous for responsible affairs and any undertakings. Our ancestors were afraid of the sun during this period and tried not to go outside during the day. They were afraid of getting sunburn or heat stroke. They also did not swim in bodies of water, fearing drowning. In pre-Christian times, people attributed drownings to mermaids, and sunstrokes to evil field spirits.
This national holiday was dedicated to the harvesting of early hay. This work was done only in the morning and evening, when there was no scorching sun. Ukrainians put the first harvested sheaf in the corner of the house and did not touch it until Pokrov. During the work, women tucked a couple of ears of corn behind their backs so that their backs would not hurt.
On this day, currants, blackberries, and raspberries were harvested in the gardens. The collected berries were used to make preserves for the winter.
On the holiday of July 8, girls visited their friends and gossiped, discussed grooms, and also practiced fortune telling and love spells. Today is considered a very accurate day for such rituals.
July 8 – Zodiac sign
A person born today is Cancer according to the Zodiac sign. People born on this day are responsible, conscientious, and hardworking. They always admit their mistakes and are responsible for what they have done. They are not very sociable and often spend time alone. They love nature and animals. They have unstable self-esteem.
July 8 holiday Ukraine / photo Pixabay
What not to do on July 8
An unfavorable date for long trips and long journeys.
You shouldn’t do handicrafts – the products will turn out unsuccessful.
Don’t be lazy, don’t be idle, and don’t put off important tasks for later, otherwise you will have failures in your future endeavors.
On this day, you cannot go outside without a hat and sunscreen, work in the sun for a long time, or overheat.
It is forbidden to treat nature with disdain – to pick plants, trample grass, litter, make a fire in nature, offend and drive away animals.
You shouldn’t work in the garden or vegetable patch today. Such work will not benefit either the plants or your health.
Weather signs for July 8
There are such signs regarding the weather on this day:
- A lot of clover grows – a rainy July.
- If the currants are already ripe, then autumn will be early.
- There is a lot of yarrow in the fields – August will be rainy, and a lot of hay will rot.
- If the soil is very dry, expect a dry July.
- A dry and hot day indicates a poor mushroom harvest in the forests.
It is important to note that the climate has changed a lot in our time, and not all old signs are relevant for us.
