Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration (Apple-Blessing feast – Jablychny Spas), August 19, 2017. I/VIII
It has now been my great fortune to celebrate the Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration (Apple-Blessing Feast – Jablychny Spas) for eleven years in a row with the parishioners of the church of the Holy Trinity in Azdamichy. This was also the third year in a row I have been able to celebrate the blessing of apples with the parish of the Resurrection in the next-door village of Tsjerablichy.
Falling in the middle of the Orthodox two-week Dormition fast, the feast of the Transfiguration subsumes the pre-Christian harvest rite of blessing apples. In memory of children who have died young, women who have lost a child avoid eating new apples or other newly-ripe fruit before the blessing. It is a traditional Belarusian belief that deferring the eating of apples permits deceased children to receive apples from the Lord in heaven first.
Праабражэньне Гасподняе (Яблычны Спас) 2017 г. I/VIII
Сёлета адзінаццаты год запар пашансавала мне сьвяткаваць Праабражэньне Гасподняе/Яблычны Спас з прыхаджанамі царквы Сьвятой Тройцы ў Аздамічах й трэці год запар пашансавала прысутнічаць на асьвячэньні яблыкаў прыхаджанаў царквы Ўваскрэшаньня Хрыстова ў суседнай вёсцы Цераблічы.
Azdamichy always celebrates Mattins and then, after a break, the full liturgy before Father Aljaksandr blesses parishioners’ apples and other first fruits. These photos are from Mattins.
Ютрань.
