Herbal Holy Day

August 15th is the Lithuanian Meadow Grass Celebration. Lithuanian names for this holy day are "Þolinë", (Herbal Holy Day) and "Kopûstinë", (Cabbage Day). It marks the juncture of summer, autumn and winter, the completion of most important agricultural labors.

This day, everyone who goes to church carries herbs, blooming garden flowers, to be blessed. The herbal bouquets also contained ears of rye, barley, oats, sweet peas, cabbages, carrots and apples.

It was said that if on this day one did not hold herbs in church, the devil will give his tail to hold.

In the spring, the blessed ears of grain were pulverized and mixed with seed grain, to assure an abundant harvest. Vegetables from the blessed bouquets were divided among all family members and some were fed to animals. Dried herbs were kept in the house, behind pictures of the saints. When thunder roared, the house was smoked with the dried herbs and sick people drank herbal teas.

Peasant women believed and some even now believe that thistles can be removed from fields. Uproot the thistles, place them in a bouquet with herbs and take them to be blessed on the Herbal Holy Day. Return the blessed thistles to the field, dig them under, with roots sticking out.

One more belief, if there are many children's deaths in a family, place a garden green with other herbs and after the blessing, plant the blessed garden green on the grave of the last dead child. It was hoped that there would be no more children's deaths in the family.

Houses were decorated with the blessed herbal bouquets to prevent lightning strikes.

In the region of Dzûkija, tradition exists to stuff blessed herbal bouquets into pillows of the dead. These blessed herbs were also used to smoke coffins.

Grain, vegetable and herb blessing is linked with sacrifice and gratitude for the new harvest. It is more difficult to explain the belief known throughout Lithuania, women who have dead children should not eat apples until the apples are blessed. Older women are observing this imposed ban even today. It is said if a woman has eaten just one apple before the Herbal Holy Day, her child will not receive an apple in heaven.

The story goes that on this day Virgin Mary distributes apples among dead children, those children whose mothers do not observe this ban receive no apples. Virgin Mary says, "your mother ate your apple". In some Lithuanian villages such women do not eat pears and plums.

The ancient tradition on Herbal Holy Day is for relatives to get together for a short visit. It is said, he who does not attend the get together, will remain poor. 14th century writers wrote that this folk belief of ancient traditions reflects autumnal gatherings. In the chronicles of M. Strijkovski, he alleges that several joint parties are organized in villages. Grain is set aside early, for beer making. There is a ritual sacrifice of cattle, their meat is cooked and eaten. Bread is baked following a ritual bread baking on that day. Flat breads made from new harvest flour are thrown back and forth over the fire, until they are baked.

Ancient agrarian and cults of the dead traditions are intertwined with traditions of Herbal Holy Day. In southern Lithuania, the tradition of celebrating the dead ancestors continues even on this day. Dead ancestors are offered foods prepared from the new harvest. Beggars are also treated to the new harvest foods, because they pray for the dead.

In the morning, after all food has been prepared, the table is set and everyone sits around it. Then the master of the house lights a candle and sends it around the table, to be held by each person. When the candle has come the full round, the master of the house picks up the candle and walks 3 times around the foods, dedicated to the dead ancestors. Eating begins after that. Any leftover foods are taken to beggars or to old peoples' homes.

Found at Lithuanian Customs and Traditions