Apple-Blessing Festival (part II), Azdamichy 2009/Яблычны Спас (частка IІ), Аздамічы 2009 год
Apple-Blessing, observed on Transfiguration Day in the Orthodox calendar, is an early harvest festival. In memory of children who have died young, people, especially women, traditionally must not eat new apples or other newly-ripe fruit before the blessing of apples; it is a traditional belief that deferring the eating of apples permits deceased children to receive apples from the Lord in heaven first.
The Apple-Blessing church service in the Polesian village of Azdamichy is one of the parish’s most important moments in the cycle of the year.
