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| (MSNBC) - Bulgarian Orthodox faithful light candles with jars of honey during a holy mass for the 'sanctification of honey' at the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin church in the town of Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria on Feb. 10. Honey and beehives are sanctified by performing a ritual for health and rich harvest. On St. Haralambos' Day, sick or blind people go to church and pray for healing. According to traditional concepts, St. Haralambos is the lord of all illnesses, especially the plague. Doing any housework is strictly forbidden that day, because of the fear of any coming illness. Women are only allowed to bake round bread and decorate it with a cross in the middle and a large wreath at the edge for health. Honey is consecrated in the local church and then all the bread is coated with that honey. The rest of the honey is kept in the house as a remedy. According to the belief, St. Haralambos blesses the land and it gets warmer and ready to be cultivated. |
Troparion - Tone 4
You became a firm column in the Church of Christ, wise Haralambos;
A lamp of everlasting light to the world:
Well known to the world through your martyrdom,
You dispelled the dark night of idolatry.
Boldly intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.
Kontakion - Tone 4
You rose from the east like a star, hieromartyr Haralambos,
And enlightened the faithful with the brightness of your miracles.
Therefore we honor your holy contest!
You became a firm column in the Church of Christ, wise Haralambos;
A lamp of everlasting light to the world:
Well known to the world through your martyrdom,
You dispelled the dark night of idolatry.
Boldly intercede with Christ God that He may save our souls.
Kontakion - Tone 4
You rose from the east like a star, hieromartyr Haralambos,
And enlightened the faithful with the brightness of your miracles.
Therefore we honor your holy contest!
Posts
"St. Haralambos is the lord of all illnesses"
ReplyDeleteThe "lord" of all illnesses?
WHAT?
Maybe not their best choice of words. To quote Orthodowiki: "Charalampus performed many miracles, healing the sick, curing the blind, and even raising some from the dead. The whole region came to believe in Jesus Christ."
ReplyDeleteWhohooooo! No housework today :) I'd never heard that (nor the honey tradition)
ReplyDeleteHoly St. Haralambos, pray to God for us
I love the honey tradition. However, it's an odd time of year to be blessing honey since harvesting is done mid-summer and the reserves are probably getting low by now.
ReplyDeleteMaybe its a fish and loaves kind of thing? Can't have too much of a good thing eh?!
ReplyDelete