The other day, when November came and the leaves began to fall off, the following thought came up: "Why is November called November in Russian, and, for example, in Ukrainian," Listopad "...?

After all, these languages \u200b\u200bhave a common origin, and the names are so different ...

And here's what it turned out:

The names of the months of the Old Russian calendar

The ancient Slavs, like many other peoples, originally based their calendar on the period of changing lunar phases. But already by the time of the adoption of Christianity, that is, by the end of the 10th century. AD, Ancient Russia used a lunisolar calendar. It was not finally possible to establish what the calendar of the ancient Slavs was. It is only known that initially the counting of time was carried out by seasons. A 12-month lunar calendar was probably used at the same time. In later times, the Slavs switched to a lunisolar calendar, in which an additional 13th month was inserted 7 times every 19 years. The oldest monuments of Russian writing show that the months had purely Slavic names, the origin of which was closely related to natural phenomena. The year began on March 1, and from about that time they began agricultural work. Many ancient names of months later passed into a number of Slavic languages \u200b\u200band were largely retained in some modern languages, in particular in Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish, which is clearly seen from the table.

Month names in some Slavic languages

Modern Russian name	The most common ancient Slavic name	Modern Ukrainian name	Modern Belarusian name	Modern Polish name
January	Széchen	Sichen	Studzen	Styczen
February	Fierce	Luthium	Lutes	Luty
March	Berezozol	Berezen	Sakavik	Marzec
April	Pollen	Kviten	Krasavik	Kwiecien
May	Grass	Grass	May	Maj
June	Cherven	Cherven	Cherven	Czerwiec
July	Lipets	Lipen	Lippen	Lipiec
August	Serpen	Serpen	Zhivien	Sierpien
September	Veresen	Veresen	Verasen	Wrzesien
October	Leaf fall	Zhovten	Kastrychnik	Pazdziernik
November	Chest	Leaf fall	Leaf fall	Listopad
December	Jelly	Chest	Snezhan	Grudzien

The modern names of the months originate from the ancient Romans. The original Roman year began in the spring and consisted of 10 months, which were designated by ordinal numbers. Later some months were renamed.

January: Latin: Januarius. Named after the god Janus - in Roman mythology - the two-faced god of doors, entrances, exits, various passages, as well as the beginning and end. The Slavic name "Prosinets" means the revival of the Sun. Little Russian name for January "very": after gray December, the colors of nature become juicy, bright. In the Chuvash language - Karlach.

February: Latin: Februarius. Named in honor of the feast of the purification of Febrois (Februs is the god of the underworld of the dead, on which the feast of purification of Februa was held, when the living brought sacrifices to the dead, crying out for their protection.). Slavic names: "Szechen" - the time of cutting trees to clear the land for arable land, "Bokogrey" - the cattle comes out to warm in the sun, "Vetrodui" - the winds whip cold in February. But still fierce - "Lute". They also called February "low water" (the boundary between winter and spring). In the Chuvash language, naras (nuras) means "new day", that is, the first day of the new year.

March: Latin: Martius. Named after the god Mars - the Roman god of war and the patron saint of Roman power. Slavic name "Dry" - the earth dries up from the falling snow. The indigenous Slavic-Russian names of this month in the old days in Russia were different: in the north it was called dry or dry from the spring heat, which drains all moisture, in the south - berezozol, from the action spring sun on the birch, which at this time begins to fill with sweet juice and starts budding. "Zimobor" - conquering winter, opening the way for spring and summer, "Protalnik" - this month the snow begins to melt, thawed patches and drops appear. In the Chuvash language - push, that is, "empty" month, free from agricultural work.

April: Latin: Aprilis. Named after the goddess Aphrodite or from the Latin word aperire - to open. The Old Russian names of the month of April were "Brezen", "Snegogon" - streams run, taking with them the remnants of snow, or else - "Blossom", because it is then that the first trees begin to bloom, spring blooms. In the Chuvash language - aka, since at that time sowing work began.

May: Latin: Maius. On behalf of the ancient Roman goddess of spring Maya.

The Slavic name "Traven", "herbal" is a riot of herbs and greenery. Nature blossoms. In the Chuvash language - su - the approach of summer.

June: Latin: Junius. On behalf of the ancient Roman goddess Juno, wife of the god Jupiter, goddess of marriage and birth. In the old days, the indigenous Russian names for the month of June were "Izok". Isokom was the name of a grasshopper, of which this month was especially abundant. Another name for this month is "Cherven", from a worm or a worm; this is the name of a special kind of dyeworms that appear at this time. In the Chuvash language - sertme.

July : Latin: Julius. Named after Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Previously called quintile from the word quintus - the fifth, because it was the 5th month of the old Roman calendar, since the year began with March. In the old days, we called it, like June, - "Cherven" - from fruits and berries, which, ripening in July, are particularly reddish (scarlet, red). This month is also called "Lipcem" - from the linden tree, which usually appears at this time in full bloom. July is also called the "top of summer", since it is considered the last summer month, or even "sufferer" - from hard summer work, "thunderstorm" - from severe thunderstorms. In the Chuvash language - uta - haymaking time.

August : Latin: Augustus. Named after Emperor Augustus in 8 BC. Earlier it was called sextile from the word sextus - the sixth. In the north of Russia it was called "Zarev" - from the glow of lightning; in the south "Serpen" - from the sickle, which is used to remove bread from the fields. Often this month is given the name "zornichnik", in which one cannot fail to see the changed old name "glow". Also, this month was called "stubble" more gloriously, I think it will be unnecessary to explain. In the Chuvash language - surla (sickle).

September : Latin: September. From septem, seven, because it was the 7th month of the old Roman calendar. In the old days, the original Russian name for the month was "Ruyin", from the roar of autumn winds and animals, especially deer. He got the name "Khmuren" due to its weather differences from others - the sky often begins to frown, it rains, autumn is in nature. In the Chuvash language - avan (barn - a building for drying bread) - at this time grain was dried.

October : Latin: October. From the word octo - eight. The Slavic name "Listopad" - well, everything is obvious here. He also wore the name "pazdernik" - from pazderi, boon, as in this month flax, hemp, habits begin to crumple. Otherwise - "muddy", from the autumn rains, causing bad weather and dirt, or "wedding" - from weddings that are celebrated at this time in the peasant life. In the Chuvash language - yupa (associated with a rite held this month).

November : Latin: November is the ninth month. Slavic name "Breast" - from piles of frozen earth with snow. In general, in the Old Russian language, the winter frozen road was called the chest path. In the Chuvash language - chuk (associated with a ritual held this month).

December : Latin: December. From decem - ten. Slavic name "Studen" - cold month... In the Chuvash language - rashtav, formed from the term "Christmas".

Having considered all the names, it is difficult not to notice that the ancient Roman month could get its name in honor of some outstanding historical figure, the holiday that was celebrated in it, the peculiarities of its "character", by the name of the deities.

Unlike the Latin names of the months dedicated to the gods, the primordial Slavic ones are associated with economic activities, weather changes, pagan holidays or other understandable phenomena.

Today we Russians, unfortunately, no longer use the Slavic names of the months, we use the Latin names that came to us from the ancient Romans. Meanwhile, many Slavic languages, for example, Ukrainian, Belarusian, have retained their original names for the months.

In our opinion, the Slavic names of the months are much closer and more logical to us than the Latin borrowings.

It also seems to me that the original Slavic names of the months are more beautiful and more informative ...

But .... what we have, we have ....

What names do you like best?

A series of messages "":

This section contains various interesting information. It happens that we are interested in some phenomenon or fact, or children ask a question about something .... In order not to lose this information, we save it in the "Interesting" section.

Part 1 - Names of months among the Slavs
Part 2 -
Part 3 -
Part 4 -

The calendar will take over can help you learn more about the meaning of many days. Sometimes, even the most ordinary day can be a good indicator for upcoming events, while telling not only about the weather, but also about what awaits you.

In the article:

The calendar will accept - Russians, church and Orthodox

Signs and beliefs are not at all limited to weather predictions, a series of births, weddings and deaths among people, as well as everyday life and household tips that have come down to our time and have been observed for a long time.

There is a so-called calendar folk signs, which will help you observe holiday and seasonal signs. This list is incomplete; during its compilation, only those signs were selected that may interest a modern person. It does not include holidays that are not celebrated on specific dates. The list includes both the calendar will accept the weather, and other days, undoubtedly important for our ancestors.

On our site you can find separate articles that are dedicated to summer, spring and autumn. In addition, you can find out more about holiday traditions our ancestors. Almost every well-known holiday is closely associated with superstition. Good examples of such celebrations are - New Year and Easter.

Russian folk signs about winter by date

• 4 december - the day of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, a Christian holiday.

Church signs by date say that from the Introduction to the Annunciation itself, one cannot dig the earth, disturb it at the wrong time. This holiday was especially loved by women, since it was considered patronizing of women's fate. If you are not married yet, say before bed:

Holy Introduction, lead me to where I live.

It is believed that this is how you can see the house where you will live after the wedding. In the old days on Vvedenie they rode sledges and organized festivities. What the weather will be like on this day, so it will be on all other Orthodox holidays this year. The snow that fell before the Introduction can melt, and the snow that fell after this day will last until spring.

• Thaw 7 december says that there will be no winter weather for another ten days, until the day Barbarians... December 7 - Catherine's Day, a holiday in which festivities were organized. There is such a sign - you cannot sit at home on this day, to loneliness. On the same day, young girls pray Saint Catherine, so as not to remain old maidens. If there is a desire to tell fortunes on the betrothed, then December 7 is one of the suitable days for this.
• December 10 pray for the conception of healthy offspring saint Roman. If the north wind blows at dusk or dawn, you need to go outside so that it takes all the problems away.
• December 13th girls praying Andrew the First-Calledto send a good groom. On the night of December 13, a betrothed or future wife may dream.
• December 19th - day Saint Nicholas... Boys and girls pray for a successful marriage. In the old days, matchmaking began on this day.
• December 22 - Anna Zimnyaya, a special day for pregnant women. At this time, they pray for an easy birth. Pregnant women did not leave the house that day and tried to be as careful as possible.
• December, 31st celebrate New Year... You can read a separate article about New Year's signs on our website, from which you will learn how to attract happiness and good luck for the whole year. The feast should be lush, and the festivities should be fun. Do not forget to make a wish during the chimes and do not leave unfinished business.
• January 1-14 - Christmastide, the most appropriate time for fortune telling. What is the weather on January 1, with this and the summer will begin. You cannot work on this day, otherwise the whole year will pass without rest. In the old days, winter holidays were celebrated on a large scale.
• 4 January praying Anastasia the Usherif there is a pregnant woman in the family, they ask for an easy delivery. This saint is considered the patroness of pregnant women and a helper in childbirth.
• January 6 - Christmas Eve... There are many beliefs associated with Christmas, as well as conspiracies that are read only at this time. You can find them on our website. You can not do needlework, this is a disaster.
• Jan. 7 - Christmas. You cannot work and do needlework, this is a grief. The first guest in the house should not be a woman, do not invite girls you know on this day, or try to make any man come in front of them. Otherwise, women will be ill in the family for a whole year. In the old days, it was believed that new clothes worn for Christmas attracted good luck and provided a rich harvest.
• January 8 - Celebration of porridge. Be sure to cook and eat porridge, treat friends.
• January 12 - Anisya-stomach... They laid a rich table and invited guests. It is believed that on this day, evil spirits are especially active, so you need to think about protection from it.
• 13th of January - Vasiliev evening... In the old days, this evening the youth were generous. The more people you treat on January 13, the richer the next year will be. They set the table, invite guests and accept invitations. If the dishes in which the porridge was cooked are damaged - to trouble. According to ancient legends, witches and evil spirits are trying to steal the month at this time.
• 14 january - Vasiliev day, Old New Year. Time for sowing and giving. Be sure to serve pork. In the old days, they tried to celebrate Vasilyev's Day cheerfully, it promises fun throughout the year.
• 16 january - Gordeev day. You can't brag, you need to avoid pride, otherwise what you are proud of will be taken away by Gordey.
• January 17 - the last day on which you can do Christmas divination. In the past, at this time, the evil spirits were driven away, which returned after absence during the holidays.
• January 18 - Epiphany Eve, fast day. Another name for it is Hungry evening... The collected snow is good for washing, helps to preserve beauty and removes negative energy. It can be collected and stored in the freezer. Crosses are drawn in chalk to protect the house. It is believed that just before dawn, the sky opens, before people went out into the street to ask in prayer for the most cherished desires.
• January 19 - Epiphany... There are many Epiphany signs and fortune-telling, this topic is worthy of a separate article, which you can find on the site. Procession of the cross, prayer service, blessing of water and swimming in an ice-hole - this is what they have been doing for a long time on this holiday. One of better days for the baptism of children.
• FROM January 20th and before Maslenitsa For a long time, weddings have played, this time was considered not only convenient, but also favorable for marriage.
• January 21 they treat the godparents, the godparents must give the godson soap and a towel.
• The 25th of January - Tatyana's Day... They look at the weather and predict what the summer will be like. Frost and sun - summer will be good, snow - rainy.
• February 6 wondered about the price of bread. Weighed the same loaf in the evening and then in the morning, and compared how the weight changed. Decreased - prices will fall next year, increased - will grow, remained unchanged - which means that prices will not change.
• 10 february - the name day of the brownie, be sure to leave him a treat.
• The 14th of February pests are driven out of houses both by conspiracies and by conventional methods. It is believed to bring the best results on this day. Girls are praying for marriage.

February, 15 - Candlemas... Do not go on the road. In the old days, they called out to the sun, and also looked at the weather, since it will be the same in spring.

• 16 february boil flour porridge - straw.
• February 17 almost always severe frosts.
• February 20th - Memorial Day. Be sure to bake pies with onion filling.
• February 27 - treat those who took delivery in gratitude.
• February 29 it's better to sleep before lunch, because this is the day of the most vindictive saint - Kasyana... They do not work on this day and the day before, and try not to leave the house once again.

Russian folk signs of spring

• March 1 pregnant women went outside at dawn. They used to believe that if you look at dawn on the first day of the spring calendar, they will accept and stand under its rays, the child will be born healthy. We tried to wash ourselves with snow at noon.
• 2nd of March is the only day a shooting star becomes a bad omen. In the old days this evening they tried not to look at the sky at all. The meaning of belief is death or serious illness.
• 4 march doing good deeds - treating the poor, giving alms. A rich table was laid, the main dish on which was a sunny loaf. They treated neighbors and bystanders. The more the hostess prepares dishes, the more successful the year will be for her whole family.
• 9th of March can not be washed. on this day - fortunately.
• 10th of March do not sleep during the day so as not to go sleepy all year.
• March 14th - summer indicator, according to the weather of this day, the calendar will take nature and predict what the summer will be like. In the old days, vesnyanka sang and baked rolls.
• March 17 wondering about marriage by the first person they meet outside the door. If it’s a woman, you’ll get married soon.
• 21 March - pussy willow day and the vernal equinox... It is useful to slander it at this time. Old people often lashed themselves lightly with willow branches to restore health and ease of movement to the body. This is a plant of beauty, chastity and good health, it is very useful for her to decorate the house on this day.
• April 1 The brownie can be dirty if you do not leave him a treat. Practical jokes that are popular now on this day originated from the tradition of amusing the brownie in order to cheer him up and avoid sabotage. The more people a girl can deceive, the better she will lead guys by the nose, and they will not be able to deceive her. What is the weather on April 1, the same will be on October 1.
• April 2 - day Fotigny Wells... They wash themselves with well water to get rid of diseases and find beauty. In the old days, they danced in round dances and worshiped flax - they decorated houses, the yard and trees with linen ribbons and towels.
• 5th of April cleaning the house and yard, the day of the general spring cleaning.
• 6 april - day Zechariah, whom the evil spirits fear. Therefore, her exile in the old days and was engaged in this day. Devils do not settle where this saint is worshiped. We were preparing for the Annunciation, trying to redo all matters. If a girl stays on duty all night, she will marry successfully.
• 7 april - Annunciation, about which quite a lot. The birds are released. It is forbidden to work, it is forbidden even to braid girls' braids, before they were woven tightly in advance. They jump over the fire to get rid of negativity. Salt is burned in the oven, which helps in the treatment of diseases. On our website you can find a separate article on what to do on the Annunciation.
• April 12th bake cookies in the form of stairs and eat them for health. The brownie does not recognize its tenants, makes a mess, makes noise and scares people.
• 16 april the merman wakes up, the fishermen try to appease him, so as not to confuse the nets and help to fish. To do this, at midnight, bread or other pastries are dipped into water and the oil is poured.
• 20 April even before dawn, women carry unnecessary clothes, towels or just pieces of cloth to the pond. It used to be believed that mermaids who woke up after winter needed clothes, and if you appease them, drowning does not threaten. But they were always afraid of water spirits, so they took garlic and wormwood with them. They especially do not like the latter.
• April 22 they go to the springs to collect water and wash themselves in order to gain health and remove the evil eye.
• If a 1st of May it is raining, you need to wet your head under it so that your hair grows well.
• May 2 - day Ivan the Warriorthat punishes thieves. If something has been stolen, prayer will help him find or recognize the thief and return the stolen goods.
• May 3 visit the graves of deceased relatives. The earth opens up and departed ancestors can visit the living. In the old days, they laid the table and covered it with a white tablecloth.
• 5 May you cannot go to the forest, you can get lost due to the high activity of evil spirits on this day.

• May 8 nettle has a special power against evil. They go around the house with her, wash the floors, add to food.
• 12 May health conspiracies are very powerful. From that time on, weddings stopped until the fall, because in May, getting married is a life-long process.
• If a May 15 trade is going well, you will be successful throughout the year. Try to sell something on this day with great profit, then you will be able to get rich this year.
• May 20 water has special cleansing properties, with a simple pouring you can remove spoilage from yourself. To do this, at dawn, they put a bucket or other container with water on the street, and during the day they pour it in the fresh air.
• May, 23rd Harvesting herbs is considered the best day to harvest herbs for magic and healing.

Folk omens and beliefs in the summer calendar

• June 3 do not braid hair so that it grows better, is beautiful, thick and healthy.
• June 6 and 8 try to sit near the rose hips to get rid of anxiety. The girls tried to touch the face with rosehip flowers so that the skin was light and clean. With the help of this plant, they tried to cure diseases and regain youth.
• the 9th of June carefully monitor what has to be said. Gossip, quarrels, complaints about someone and idle chatter should be avoided. This is the day Fedorathat can turn such conversations against the speaker.
• June 11 is one of the most unlucky days of the year.
• 12 June - snake day. Beware of bites, so do not go to nature. But healing and witchcraft using body parts of snakes on this day has a special power.
• 6 july - the eve of the day Ivan Kupala... Herbs were harvested for healing and magic, it was believed that the plants collected on July 6 have special properties.
• 7 july - day Ivan Kupala... It is good to swim on this day. In the old days, they jumped over a fire, danced in circles and organized festivities in honor of this holiday. One of the symbols of this day is the fern flower.
• July 25 collect dew. It is considered to be healing. This dew is especially good for treating eye diseases.
• After August 2 - Ilya's day -it was impossible to swim in reservoirs.
• 5th of August tried to sleep less, wake up earlier and lie down later. If you sleep a lot on this day, the signs promise poverty.
• 12th of August men, especially the sick, tried to eat and drink more. It was believed to give strength and cure disease.
• 14 august - Honey Savior, be sure to try honey.
• August 18 be sure to eat bread with onions and salt and wash down with kvass. You cannot sing while you work, otherwise it will be unsuccessful.
• August 19 - Apple Spas... Apples and honey are consecrated in the temple. You should definitely try apples.
• In the old days they believed that 24 August you cannot walk near the cemetery at night, and even more so to enter its territory. According to legends, on this day ghosts enter our world.
• August 28 - Assumption... On this day, it is customary to pickle cucumbers, in the villages and now they believe that they are tastier than usual.
• August 29 - Nut Spas... It is advisable to eat nuts, or better - to cook pastries with them.
• FROM August 31 in the old days they were engaged in the manufacture of home preservation. This day was considered especially successful for this business.

Autumn Russian calendar superstitions

• September 2 girls are praying to get married.
• 4 September Beware of the goblin who used to go out of the forest that day. But if you have not done anything wrong in front of him and appeased him, the goblin can help you in something.
• 11 September commemorate the fallen soldiers. This is the day Ivan Postny... No songs were sung on this holiday, dancing was also forbidden, but they tried to set a rich table and feed the poor. However, there was something that had a round shape, it was impossible, it resembles the head that was cut off to this saint. They do not take a knife in their hands that day.
• 14 september take insects out of the house, bury one of them so that they will not be found for another whole year. This applies to fleas, cockroaches and ants, although the latter are considered a good sign and bring wealth.
• September 17 in front of the icon Burning bush pray for the protection of the home.
• September 19 you can't work, it's a day Michael.
• September 24 do not start new businesses.
• September 27 - Exaltation... You can't go to the forest and start important things. Prepare pies with cabbage. From this day, cabbage gatherings begin in the evenings, which last two weeks.
• September 28 you can appease a water person by throwing a headless goose into a pond. This is very important for modern fishermen too.

• October 14 - Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos... What the weather is on this day, so the winter will be. From that day the wedding season began, and not only because the field work was over. Autumn is still considered the most suitable time for marriage.
• November 4th - day Kazan Mother of God... Do not travel far from home. Praying for accident protection. November 4 is one of the best days for a wedding; those married on this holiday will live happily ever after.
• November 8 commemorate dead relatives, visit graves, bring treats. It was accepted generously to treat the deceased, it was believed that the more generous the treat, the calmer the soul in the afterlife. After this day, the wedding was no longer arranged, there was a break until the winter meat-eater.
• 10th of November - day Paraskeva Friday... They prayed for family happiness and prosperity, healing and relieving melancholy, an imminent wedding and a good groom. This saint was especially revered by women. It was impossible to laugh on this holiday - to tears and unhappy old age.
• 12 november make bird feeders.
• 14 november the girls prepared holiday dishes and invited the boys to visit. We went to visit each other, such festivities could continue until early morning. Chicken must be present on the table.

It is very interesting to compare the names of the months, modern and Old Church Slavonic. They don't tell us anything, but in the Slavic you can see features that were significant for our ancestors. July is a hard time, the time of hard work in the field, October is a wedding party, the most suitable time for a party, and December is more severe, a time of cold weather. Popular names help to learn about the life of the villagers, about their observations, signs. The traditional calendar was called the month.

March

It was with this spring month that the year usually began, and not only among the Slavs, but also among the Jews, Egyptians, Romans, ancient Greeks and Persians. Traditionally, the beginning of the new year, the peasants associated either with the beginning of spring work, that is, preparation for sowing, or with the end. Peter the Great ordered to calculate the time according to the European model.

They called the first birch tree - in the south, dry - in the north of Russia, as well as the marshal, winter forest, beloyar. The explanation of the names of the months is simple and intuitive. Dry, that is, dry, draining spring moisture. Juice, birch - it was at this time that the birch began to give juice, the buds swelled. Zimobor is the first warm month after a frosty winter, conquering winter. Protalnik - the snow begins to melt. March was also called the month of passage, since the spring was called the passage. There are also known options such as droplet, morning of the year, spring, vesnovka, rookery.

April

Name old Slavic months often associated with observations of nature. April was called primrose and bloom because at this time nature begins to bloom, the first flowers and trees bloom. Snow drifts, the last snow melted, caddis - because of the drops and numerous streams, birch trees and birch ash - because of the awakening of white birches from sleep. The names of the cunning and the capricious are also known, because the weather this month is very changeable, thaws are replaced by frosts. Since the month brought the first warmth, they called him a steam room. As you can see, due to the difference in climate in one area, April was associated with the flowering of grasses, and in another - only with the melting of snow.

May

The Old Slavonic names of the months of the year tell us about what processes took place at that time. The most common name for May is herbal, herbalist, since it is in this month that the lush growth of vegetation begins. This is the third month of flight. May also has many popular names: pollen (the beginning of flowering of many plants), yarets (in honor of the god Yarila), leaf beetle (the appearance of bunches of grass and leaves), mur (a grass-murava appears), dewdrop (due to abundant morning dew) ...

June

Old Slavonic names of the months of the year may surprise, since many words of the language used have been forgotten. For example, most often the month of June was called Izok. This was the name of a common insect - an ordinary grasshopper. It is in June that they can be heard most often. Another common name is worm, due to the appearance of dye worms. You can also hear a kresnik (from fire, kres), a hoarder, a grain grower (accumulates a grain harvest for the whole year). For the abundance of colors, light: multicolored, light, rose-color, blooming, blush of the year.

July

The Old Church Slavonic months corresponded to one of the four seasons. The middle of summer was July, so it was called the crown of summer. Most often, you can hear the name cherven because of the numerous berries and fruits that are red. Linden is in full bloom, it secretes sweet sticky juice, so the second common name is linden or lipstick. Sufferer - from hard labor in the fields, thunderstorm - from numerous thunderstorms

August

The name of the months may not reflect the occupation of the peasants at that time. In August, the harvesting of bread begins, therefore, most often it was called stubble or serpen. The names of hospitality, bread, cabbage, pickle are known. Gustar, dense beetle - this month they eat plentifully, thickly. Mezhnyak is like a border, a border between summer and autumn. In the north, due to the bright glow of the lightning, the names "glow" and "zornichnik" were used.

September

Old Slavonic names of months of the year and modern ones can be very different. So, the ancient Russian name for September was ruin or howler, ruen - from the autumn roar of deer and other animals, possibly the winds. Gloomy hints at changing weather conditions, cloudy, gloomy sky, frequent rains. The name vresen, vresen has several versions of its origin. Polesie is home to a low evergreen shrub and honey heather. In August-September, it begins to bloom. Another version says that a similar name could come from the Ukrainian word "vrasenets", which means frost, which can already appear in the morning. Another name for September is fieldfare.

October

The name of the Old Slavic months often very clearly characterizes the weather conditions. You can easily guess that under the name of the fall leaves it is October, the month in which the abundant fall of leaves begins. Or it may be recognized under another name - padzernik, because it is at this time that they begin to tear, crumple flax and hemp. Due to the frequent rains and wet weather, you can hear another name - mud. The main agricultural work was coming to an end, the bins were full, it was high time to get married, so because of the numerous weddings - a wedding. October in Russia was also called leaf-beating, yellow because of the golden autumn. He smelled of cabbage, therefore - skits. And also a baker and a sawmill.

November

There is such a word in the Old Russian language - "heap". This is the ground frozen with snow, even the frozen winter road was called the chest path. So November, which gave the first frosts, was most often called breast, breast or breast month. November is rich in names: leaf-bearing, leaf fall (the last leaves fall, October gold begins to turn into humus), mocharets (heavy rains), snow and semi-winter (from the first snow at the beginning of the month it goes to real snowdrifts and frosts), off-road vehicle, summer offender, zeppevka winter, winter's eve, gates of winter, twilight of the year (it gets dark early), solstice (the day is rapidly decreasing), diehard, the seven of the year, the month of the first sleigh ride (they begin to go on a sleigh).

December

In the cold season, such simple and speaking names, which were called the Old Church Slavonic months, are asked to speak. Our ancestors called December cold, jelly, cold, chilly, because of the frosty cold, common at this time. Mother winter is fierce, hence the names fierce, fierce, lute. The snowdrifts are already deep - snow. Cold strong winds and snowstorms prevail - wind winter, wind chime, wrap up, chill, pull, freeze.

January

The name of the Old Church Slavonic months is not always clear. It can help a modern person to look at familiar things a little differently. We associate January with the very height of winter, its middle. But in the old days it was called a prosinets. At this time, the weather often becomes clear, a blue sky begins to appear, there is more sunlight, and the day increases. Popular names: turn of winter, cut (winter is split into two halves), Vasilyev's month, winter. Frosts are still strong and unabated - more severe, crackling.

February

The name of the Old Church Slavonic months can be the same for different periods of time. The winter months, especially February, are a good example. The common Slavic-Russian name is Széchen. But often there was also a snowy, fierce, blizzard, that is, names characteristic of others winter months... One of the interesting names is bokogrey. On warm days, the cattle left the barn to warm their sides under the sun. Lies - on the one hand, the barrel heats, and on the other - it chills. Another popular name - wide roads. It was believed that it was in February that forest animals created pairs, so the month could be called an animal wedding.

We bring to your attention several options for reconstructing the Slavic month, a comparison and order of months in different Slavic languages, as well as a detailed explanation of the origin and meaning of the names of each of the months of the year. It should also be noted that the true Slavic calendar was solar; it was based on 4 seasons (seasons), in each of which the solstice holiday (brace, solstice, equinox) was celebrated. With the advent of Christianity in Russia, they began to use the lunar calendar, which is based on the period of changing the phases of the moon, as a result of which a certain "demolition" of dates by 13 days (new style) has formed. The dates of the Slavic pagan holidays (many of which were replaced over time by Christian names) are considered according to the old true style and "lag" behind the new calendar by 13 days.

Modern month name	Option I	Option II	III option	IV option	VI option
January	Széchen	Chill	Prosinets	Prosinets	Sichen
February	Lute	Lute	Lute	Széchen	Snow, Bokogrey
March	Berezozol	Berezen	Dropper	Dry	Zimobor, Protalnik
April	Pollen	Kveten	Pollen	Berezozol	Target, Snowman
May	Grass	Grass	Grass	Grass	Herbal
June	Kresen	Cherven	Multicolored	Kresen	Izok, Kresnik
July	Lipen	Lipen	Groznik	Cherven	Lipets, Stradnik
August	Serpen	Serpen	Zarev	Serpen, Zarev	Zornichnik, Stubble
September	Veresen	Veresen	Howler	Ruyen	Ruen, Hmuren
October	Leaf fall	Yellow	Leaf fall	Leaf fall, Pazdernik	Dirt, Wedding
November	Chest	Leaf fall	Chest	Chest	Pectoral
December	Chill	Chest	Chill	Jelly	Studenny

Table 1. Variants of the names of the Slavic months.

Origin of month names

Originally, the Romans had a lunar year of 10 months, beginning in March and ending in December; which is indicated, by the way, and the names of the months. So, for example, the name of the last month - December comes from the Latin "deka" (deca), which means the tenth. However, in a short time, according to legend - under King Numa Pompilius or Tarquinia I (Ancient Tarquinia) - the Romans switched to the lunar year of 12 months containing 355 days. To bring it into line with the solar year, they began to add from time to time an extra month (mensis intercalarius) already under Numa. But anyway civil year with holidays designed for certain seasons, it did not at all coincide with the natural year. The calendar was finally put in order by Julius Caesar in 46 BC: he introduced a solar year of 365 days with the insertion of one day in every 4th year (we have this day - February 29); and set the start of the year from January. The calendar and annual cycle was named after the great Roman commander and statesman Julian.

The months were designated by the same names as now. The first six months are named after the Italic gods (with the exception of February, named after the Roman holiday), July and August were called Quintilis (fifth) and Sextilis (sixth) until the time of Emperor Augustus, they were named Julius and Augustus in honor of Julius Caesar and Augustus ... Thus, the names of the months were as follows: Januarius, Februarius, Martius, Aprilis, Majus, Junius, Quintilis (Julius), Sexlilis (Augustus), September (from Lat. "Septem" - seven, seventh), October (from Lat. "Okto "- eight, eighth), November (from Lat." novem "- nine, ninth) and, finally, December (tenth). In each of these months, the Romans counted the same number of days as it is now. All names of months are adjectives in which the word "mensis" (month) is either implied or added. Calendae was called the first day of every month.

In Russia, the word "calendar" has been known only since the end of the 17th century. It was introduced by the emperor Peter I. Before that, it was called "month". But whatever you call it, the goals remain unchanged - fixing dates and measuring time intervals. The calendar allows us to record events in their chronological order, serves to highlight special days (dates) in the calendar - holidays, and for many other purposes. Meanwhile, the old names of the months are still used by Ukrainians, Belarusians and Poles!

January so named because it was dedicated by the ancient Romans to Janus, the god of Peace. In our country, in the old days, it was called "Prosinets", as it is believed, from the blue of the sky beginning to appear at this time, the brilliance, from the intensification, with the addition of day and sunlight. By the way, on January 21, Prosinets is celebrated. Take a closer look at the January sky and you will understand that it fully justifies its name. The Little Russian (Ukrainian) name for January "sechen" (sichen, sichen) indicates either the turn of winter, which, according to popular belief, occurs in January, the division of winter into two halves, or bitter, severe frosts. Some of the researchers single out the root "blue" in the word "blue", believing that this name was given to January for the early twilight - with "blue". Some scholars associated the name with the old folk custom of going to Christmastide from home and asking for food. In Russia, the month of January was originally the eleventh month in a row, for the first was considered March, when the year began to be reckoned from September, then January became the fifth; and, finally, since 1700, from the time of the change made in our chronology by Peter the Great, this month became the first.

February the Romans had the last month of the year and was named after Febra, the ancient Italian god to whom he was dedicated. The indigenous Slavic-Russian names of this month were: "ssechen" (the name he has in common with January) or "snow", probably from the snowy time or by the verb to whip for blizzards, common in this month. In Little Russia from the 15th century, in imitation of the Poles, the month of February began to be called "fierce" (or lute), because it is known for its fierce blizzards; the settlers of the northern and middle Russian provinces still call him "bokogrey", because at this time the cattle come out of the barns and warm their sides in the sun, and the owners themselves warmed the sides by the stove. In modern Ukrainian, Belarusian and Polish languages \u200b\u200bthis month is still called "fierce".

March... From this month, the Egyptians, Jews, Moors, Persians, ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as, once upon a time, our Slavic ancestors began the year. The name "March" was given to this month by the Romans in honor of the god of war, Mars; it was brought to us from Byzantium. The true Slavic names of this month in the old days in Russia were different: in the north it was called "dry" (little snow) or "dry" from the spring warmth, which drains all moisture; in the south - "berezozol", from the action of the spring sun on the birch, which at this time begins to fill with sweet juice and buds. Zimobor - conquering the winter, opening the way for spring and summer, the thawer - this month the snow begins to melt, thawed patches and drops appear (hence another name for drip). Often the month of March is called "flyby", since spring begins with it, the harbinger of summer, and together with the following months - April and May - constitutes the so-called "flyby" (the holiday of which is celebrated on May 7).

April comes from the Latin verb "aperire" - to open, it indicates, in fact, the opening of spring. The Old Russian names of this month were birch (tarn) - by analogy with March; snow drift - streams run, taking with them the remnants of snow, or even pollen, because it is then that the first trees begin to bloom, spring blooms.

May... The Latin name for this month was given in honor of the goddess Mai, as well as many others, it came to us from Byzantium. The Old Russian name of this month was herbal, or herbal (herbalist), which reflected the processes taking place in nature at that time - a riot of growing herbs. This month was considered to be the third and final month of flight. This name is known in the Ukrainian language.

June... The name of this month comes from the word "Junius" given to him in honor of the goddess Juno by the Romans. In the old days, the original Russian name for this month was Izok. Isokom was the name of a grasshopper, of which this month was especially abundant. Another name for this month is the worm, especially used among the Little Russians, from the worm or the worm; this is the name of a special kind of dyeworms that appear at this time. This month is called the same and multi-colored, for nature is born with an indescribable riot of colors of flowering plants. In addition, in antiquity the month of June was often called by the people a kresnik - from the word "kres" (fire).

July comes from the name "Julius", given in honor of Gaius Julius Caesar, and, of course, has Roman roots. In our old days, it was called, like June - worm - from fruits and berries, which, ripening in July, are especially reddish (scarlet, red). The folk-poetic expression "summer is red" can serve as a literal translation of the name of the month, which draws attention to the brightness of the summer sun. Another original Slavic name for July is lipets (or linden), which is now used in the Polish, Ukrainian and Belarusian languages \u200b\u200bas the month of linden blossom. July is also called "the top of summer", since it is considered the last summer month (July 20 is marked "Perunov Day", after which, according to popular beliefs, autumn comes), or also "sufferer" - from the painful summer work, "thunderstorm" - from severe thunderstorms.

August... Like the previous one, this month got its name from the name of the Roman emperor - Augustus. The indigenous Old Russian names for the month were different. In the north, it was called "glow" - from the glow of lightning; in the south "serpen" - from the sickle, which is used to remove bread from the fields. Often this month is given the name "zornichnik", in which it is impossible not to see the changed old name "glow". It will be superfluous to explain the name "stubble", for in this month the time of harvesting in the fields and harvesting came. Some sources interpret the glow as associated with the verb "roar" and denotes the period of roaring of animals during heat, while others suggest that the name of the month contains an indication of thunder and evening lightning.

September - "Sentemvrius", the ninth month of the year, while the Romans had the seventh, which is why it got its name (from the Latin word "septem" - the seventh). In the old days, the original Russian name for the month was "ruyin" - from the roar of autumn winds and animals, especially deer. The Old Russian form of the verb "ryuti" (to roar) is known, which when applied to the autumn wind meant "to roar, blow, call out". He got the name "gloomy" due to his weather differences from others - the sky often begins to frown, it rains, autumn is in nature. Another name for this month, "Veresen", is explained by the fact that heather is beginning to bloom at this time.

October - "oktovry", the tenth month of the year; among the Romans it was the eighth, which is why it got its name (from the Latin "octo" - eight). Among our ancestors, it is known under the name "leaf fall" - from autumn fall of leaves, or "baptismal" - from pazderi, boon, since this month flax, hemp, habits begin to crumple. Otherwise, it is a "dirty man", from autumn rains causing bad weather and dirt, or a "wedding man" - from weddings, which are celebrated at this time by peasants.

November... We call "November" the eleventh month of the year, but the Romans had it as the ninth, which is why it got its name (nover - nine). In the old days, this month was called the breast itself (breast or breast), from the piles of frozen earth with snow, since in general in the Old Russian language the winter frozen road was called the breast path. In Dahl's dictionary, the regional word "pile" means "frozen ruts along the road, frozen hummocky mud."

December... "Decembriem" (Latin December) is called the 12th month of the year; among the Romans, it was tenth, which is why it got its name (decem - ten). Our ancestors called it "jelly", or "jelly" - from the cold and frost, common at that time.

The word "month" itself indicates the connection between the allocation of such a chronological segment with the lunar cycles and has common European roots. Therefore, the length of the month ranged from 28 to 31 days; it is not yet possible to specify the count of days by month more precisely.

Modern name	Russian	Ukrainian	Belorussian	Polish	Czech
January	Széchen	Sichen	Studzen	Styczen	Leden
February	Lute	Luthium	Lutes	Luty	Unor
March	Berezen	Berezen	Sakavik	Marzec	Brezen
April	Kveten	Kviten	Krasavik	Kwiecien	Duben
May	Grass	Grass	Grass	Maj	Kveten
June	Cherven	Cherven	Cherven	Czerwiec	Cerven
July	Lipen	Lipen	Lippen	Lipiec	Cervenec
August	Serpen	Serpen	Zhniven	Sierpien	Srpen
September	Veresen	Veresen	Verasen	Wrzesien	Zari
October	Leaf fall	Zhovten	Kastrynchnik	Pazdzernik	Rijen
November	Chest	Leaf fall	Listapad	Listopad	Listopad
December	Chill	Chest	Snezhan	Grudzien	Prosinec

Table 2. Comparative names of months in different Slavic languages.

In the "Ostromir Gospel" (XI century) and other ancient monuments of writing, January corresponded to the name Prosinets (since at that time it was getting lighter), February - cut (since it was the season of deforestation), March - dry (since in some places the earth was already drying up), April - birch, birch ash (names associated with a birch that begins to bloom), Mayu - grass (from the word "grass"), June - izok (grasshopper), July - worm, serpen (from the word "sickle", indicating the time of the harvest), August - glow (from "glow"), September - ryuen (from "roar" and the roar of animals), October - leaf fall, November and December - breast (from the word "heap" - a frozen track on the road) , sometimes - jelly.

Thus, the Slavs did not have a single idea of \u200b\u200bthe order and name of the months. From the whole mass of names, proto-Slavic names come to light, which speaks of the unity of the origin of the calendar. The etymology of the names is also not always clear and gives rise to all sorts of disputes and speculations on this topic. The only thing that most reenactors agree on is the connection between the names and natural phenomenacharacteristic of the annual cycle.

A calendar is a system for counting periods of time. The first folk calendars arose a very long time ago, in ancient times, because it became necessary to measure time and record events and signs. The word calendar comes from the Latin words caleo - to proclaim and calendarium - a book of debts. This is due to the fact that in Ancient Rome the beginning of each month was especially proclaimed, and with the fact that on the first day of the month it was customary to pay debts.

In Russia, the folk calendar was called the month. Months covered the whole year of peasant life, "describing" day by day, month after month, where each day corresponded to its own national holidays or weekdays, customs and superstitions, traditions and rituals, natural folk signs and phenomena. The cyclical nature of the folk calendar reminds of human life, where spring is youth, summer is flourishing, autumn is the time of harvesting fruits (it's good if you have them, otherwise you can live your life without harvesting fruits), winter is a time of wisdom and peace.

In the folk calendar of the month, one season always replaces another, and this determines the way of life of a person. In this regard, a folk calendar was formed in which there were practically no nameless, unmarked days. Each day of the national calendar was special, had its own purpose. All this was due to climate conditions, astrological phenomena.

From the depths of historical times in Russia, peasants - ploughmen and hunters made up special oral folk calendars - mesyaslovy. They included observations of the weather, seasonal phenomena, animal habits and the state of plants, establishing connections between them. On their basis, economic councils were developed, labor customs and ceremonies were formed. It was a kind of encyclopedia of folk signs, in which the work experience of many generations was concentrated and preserved. As a person's economic horizons expanded, the calendar was replenished with new objects, data and conclusions.

What is the “folk calendar”? A folk calendar or months is a yearly circle of events, peasant labor, family and worldly life, customs and rituals, natural phenomena and superstitions, fixed by days (dates, dates), etc.
An integral part of the National Calendar is agrarian holidays, rituals, customs, signs. They marked all work cycles - plowing, sowing, harvesting, harvesting, haymaking, threshing, hunting, fishing. The folk calendar reflected both the specifics of the way of life of the Orthodox Russian peasant, and the natural conditions where he lived. This is how folk holidays and signs appeared, generation after generation, which made up the national calendar. The folk calendar may well serve as a kind of encyclopedia of peasant life with its holidays and weekdays.

We very much hope that this folk calendar will be useful and informative - after all, this is the life of our ancestors. This is the Russian folk calendar that will be adopted by which our grandfathers and great-grandfathers lived.

Calendar for 2020 Russian folk will take about every day

Calendar designations: X - EASTER OF CHRIST; X - fast days; X - Twelve holidays; X - Great Holidays; X - continuous weeks; X - days of special commemoration of the dead;

Orthodox and folk holidays in 2020

Twelve non-passing holidays:

January 7 (December 25 O.S.) -
January 19 (January 6) -
February 15 (February 2) -
April 7 (March 25) -
19 August (6 August) -
August 28 (August 15) -
September 21 (September 8) -
September 27 (September 14) -
December 4 (November 21) -

Great Holidays:

All Orthodox Church Feasts -

Folk omens, proverbs and sayings

A proverb is a short folk saying with an edifying meaning; folk aphorism.

A proverb is a predominantly figurative expression that does not constitute, unlike a proverb. complete statement and not an aphorism.

Folk omens, proverbs and sayings date back to ancient times. Then, when humanity on earth did not yet possess practically any stock of scientific knowledge, it was folk signs that were called upon to provide explanations for those events that were not obvious. Centuries and even millennia have passed since then, but folk signs have so strongly penetrated human consciousnessthat even all the achievements of modern science are not able to limit the influence of folk omens, proverbs and sayings on human life.
Folk omens, proverbs and sayings that have arisen in ancient times, are actively living today. Over time, many signs took the form of proverbs and sayings.
Complete dependence on nature forced the farmer to be a subtle observer, to notice the smallest details in the changes in nature, to catch the patterns and connections of some phenomena with others. Russian peasants have put together thousands of proverbs and sayings containing teachings and advice and signs on how to run a household - they created their own national calendar of signs.

The leaves on the oak develop - the pike catch begins.
When the bird cherry blossoms, catch the bream.
Close the clouds with rings - to the rain.
The sun sets in fog - to rain.
A foggy circle near the sun - to a blizzard.
Crimson dawns - to the wind.
The month is clear - dry.
Strong wind during rain - good weather.
Thunder in winter - to strong winds.
Lightning in winter - to the storm.
The greener the rainbow, the more rain.
The rainbow is red - the weather is clear.
Clouds before sunrise - to the rain.
Soars - before the rain.
The sunny rain will soon pass.
If it rains heavily, it will soon stop.
The fog stands over the forest - it will rain, mushrooms will go.
Fog spreads over the water - for good weather.
In winter, smoke is a pillar - to frost.
The forest is noisy in winter - expect a thaw.
Oak tree rustles in summer - bad weather.
Decrease of the river - to rain, profit - to good weather.
Dry branches fall from trees in calm weather - to the rain.
Marigolds wake up by noon - to be a thunderstorm.
Dandelions are hiding - towards the rain.

It is easy to see that the signs are surprisingly accurately associated with the living folk calendar nature. For instance:

The lark began to sing - it's time to go out into the arable land.
This barley when the horsefly buzzes.
Young chicks are shouting - it's time to sow oats.
The frog croaks - the oats are jumping.
Give wheat when spring is red.
The latest sowing of oats when the apple trees are blooming.
The strawberries are red, not this oats in vain.
Rowan blossoms - it's time to sow flax.
When the cones are red on the tree and green on the pine, whose barley.
This buckwheat when the grass is good.
When the oak is blooming - these peas.

People closely watched insects, domestic animals, forest animals, birds, fish, plants:

The hare and the squirrel molt early - by early spring.
Rook on the mountain - spring in the yard.
Lark - to the warmth, the finch - to the cold.
The seagull has arrived - the ice is coming.
The horse stomps, hits with its hind leg - to bad weather.
Sheep bleat in summer before rain.
Birds pluck - to the rain.
Chickens roost early - to frost.
The higher the chickens sit on the roost, the stronger the frost will be.
Chickens bathe in the sand - to the rain.
Geese flap their wings, and pigs itch - to the frost.
The rooster sings at the wrong time - to the bucket.
Flies and mosquitoes are more annoying - to rain.
Swallows flutter low - towards the rain, high - towards the bucket.
The early chirping of larks is a sign of warm weather.
Beetles are buzzing - to bad weather.
Ants hide - to a thunderstorm or heavy rain.
If a bee is sitting in a hive and buzzing, wait for rain.
The intensive work of spiders - for warmth and good weather.
The cat is fast asleep - to warmth.
A cat in a ball - frost on the doorstep.
The horse snorts - to the warmth.
The cat scrapes the floor - into the wind, into a blizzard.
The goose raises its paw - the cold awaits.
The goose hides its nose under the wing - to the cold.
Chickens twirl their tails - to a blizzard.
A chicken on one leg stands - to the cold.
The birds are silent - expect thunder.
When the woodpeckers are very audible, it will rain.
Frogs are silent before cold weather.
In good weather there are few mosquitoes - expect bad weather.
Birds build their nests on the sunny side of the trees - towards the cold summer.
The squirrel builds a nest low on a tree - for a frosty winter, high - for a warm one.
A lot of berries - for a cold winter.
If the rain is rare in summer, expect mushrooms.

And here are some signs on the topic of the harvest:

For the time being, no seed is sown.
Whoever sows early does not lose seeds.
You will sow a day earlier, you will reap a week earlier.
If you miss an hour in the spring, you won't catch up with the year.
Every seed knows its time.
The early pair will give birth to a wheaten, and the late one - a tee.
Early sowing does not go to the barn until late.
The earth has warmed - do not be late with sowing.