Balkans celebrate September 11th Saint John the Baptist
New York — Today September 11th on Saturday is seasonal summer holiday St. John Orthodox, but also Christians believe this holiday is rejoiced in January 20 th after Christmas, it’s celebrates two times a year. Feast of St. John because it is that on this day the Baptist on the Jordan River baptized Jesus Christ.
Orth St. John the Baptist on the Jordan River baptized Jesus Christ. Our ancestors performed various rituals on that day, trying to find out what awaited them in the future, and prayed to the saint to help them fulfill their wishes.
Rituals
Believers knows that in St. John day is prohibited to use knife in the hands as a sign of remembrance of John’s suffering. Or Do not eat or drink anything that is red, because the color symbolizes the innocently shed blood of the saint.
The people of Herzegovina do not do hard work on this day and take care not to do anything about seeds. They pay attention to which day it falls and they avoid any activity related to the seeds on that day all year round. Serbs and Macedonians fast on this day. Children are not given anything that is red. No apple, no tomato, no peach, no red grapes. Medicinal herbs should be collected on this day: St. John’s wort, mint, horseradish, lychee.
There is a custom among the people for people to become brothers to St. John, because John is considered an example of character and honesty. Believers often name their children John. The glory of St. is celebrated. John, but also named. It is considered that St. John is the third consecutive glory that is celebrated among the families, right after St. Nicholas and Archangel Michael.
