One of the kindest holidays is celebrated on July 8th. Family Day officially began to be celebrated in Russia quite recently, but this holiday has taken an honorable place among others. How did this holiday come about?
Family Day officially became a holiday only in 2008. It was established by the deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation. But this day is not a day off like March 8 or February 23.
The history of the holiday is connected with the Orthodox day of Peter and Fevrony.
This romantic story dates back to the 13th century. Prince Pavel lived in Murom with his beloved. And one day a werewolf serpent began to fly to Pavel's beloved. The princess knew that only Peter, Paul's younger brother, could defeat the snake. She asked him for help and Peter killed the snake. But during the battle, drops of werewolf blood fell on his skin, which left ulcers all over his body.
Peter began to look for a doctor and went to Ryazan, where many doctors lived. When the prince arrived in these lands, he was told to turn to a peasant girl from the village of Laskova. This girl was very pretty, kind and bright at heart. She knew how to understand the language of animals. And her name was Fevronia. Fevronia knew how to heal people, make conspiracies and had knowledge of the healing properties of herbs and plants. Peter was fascinated by the girl, her intelligence and ingenuity. Fevronia agreed to cure the young man, but in return became his wife.
Peter was already too exhausted and agreed to these conditions, promising to make her a princess if he recovered. But the promise was not fulfilled and Peter fell ill again. Having cured the prince again, he nevertheless took Fevronia as his wife and she became the lawful princess.
As time went on, Peter realized how much he loved the girl, but in his hometown of Murom, the boyars began to demand divorce. However, Peter and Fevronia loved each other too much and chose to abandon the principality and go to a small village, far from Murom.
After some time, outbreaks and disagreements began among the boyars in Murom, and they asked the young couple to return. They repented and asked for forgiveness from the prince and princess. The husband and wife returned to Murom. Soon the boyars and other peasants fell in love and began to respect Fevronia for her kindness and sanity.
When Peter and Fevronia became elderly they were proclaimed monks. The only thing they prayed to God was to die in one day. And so it happened. On July 8, 1228, the lovers died on the same day. They were buried in the same tomb together. However, they were buried 3 times in separate monasteries, but in the morning they ended up together. It was all considered a miracle.
The prince and princess were canonized at a church council in 1547. Currently, their relics are kept in the Holy Trinity Monastery. It is customary to honor spouses as patrons of the family. Peter and Fevronia were canonized only in the 16th century, about 300 years after their death.
The day of family, love and fidelity in the modern world is celebrated modestly and with the family.
