Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration (Apple-Blessing feast – Jablychny Spas), August 19, 2019.
It has been a great blessing to celebrate the Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration (Apple-Blessing Feast – Jablychny Spas) for thirteen years in a row with the parishioners of the church of the Holy Trinity in Azdamichy. This was also the fifth 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.
The feast of the Transfiguration/Jablychny Spas falls in the middle of the two-week fast ending with the feast of the Dormition (Orthodox equivalent of the Roman Catholic feast of the Assumption). The second of three harvest-related church celebrations, the feast of the Transfiguration/Jablychny Spas incorporates a pre-Christian 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) 2019 г.
Сёлета зноў пашансавала мне (дык трынаццаты год запар) сьвяткаваць Праабражэньне Гасподняе/Яблычны Спас з прыхаджанамі царквы Сьвятой Тройцы ў Аздамічах й пяты год запар пашансавала прысутнічаць на асьвячэньні яблыкаў для прыхаджанаў царквы Ўваскрэшаньня Хрыстова ў суседнай вёсцы Цераблічы.
Blessing of the Host, Azdamichy.
Асьвячэньне прасьвіркі, Аздамічы.
