On August 24, 2020 (August 11, old style), the people celebrate the Day of the Martyr Euplus of Catan
History:
Archimandrite Eupl served in the port town of Catania at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries. He did not part with the Gospel, preaching sermons to the Gentiles. Once during one of the sermons he was caught. At the trial of the ruler, Euplus continued to denounce pagan beliefs and interpret the Gospel even under torture.
In Russia, on August 24, the warrior and hero Evpatiy Kolovrat was honored. Scary stories were told. According to legend, people saw a white horse in the swamps that day, he is looking for a rider who was killed in battle. And at night they saw him in the cemetery, where he runs from grave to grave and cries. There were also those who tried to catch the white horse, but none succeeded.
There was a legend about Evpatiy Kolovrat: in the places where the white horse appeared, a battle with the Tatars once took place. During the battle, a hero appeared on a white horse, he fought bravely and many enemies were killed by the hero’s hand, but Batu killed the miracle warrior. So he is looking for the owner – Evpatiya Kolovrat – a white horse.
Do’s and Don’ts on August 24, 2020
Sheep shearing began on that day, as the peasants calculated that by the cold the lambs would just grow new wool, and the sheared wool was all used: the housewives spun woolen threads for knitting warm clothes for the cold weather, felt boots were from the same wool.
It was categorically impossible to drink alcohol, it was believed that the dead from among the relatives would come to the drunkard and the offender would be punished.
Beliefs and signs:
The rain in the coming days was foreshadowed by the stars twinkling at dawn of this day.
A snowy winter was promised by an abundance of nuts and a weak harvest of mushrooms.
And the bright sun on this day foreshadowed a dry September.
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