Among the people, Ivan Vetkhepeschernik was considered the patron saint of the second of May. According to an ancient custom, people dressed nature in new clothes on this day. This rite appeared in the days of paganism, but persisted after the adoption of Christianity. The ceremony involves hanging new shirts and canvases in the fresh air, which the housewives had previously worked on. Until that day, none of the other people except the needlewoman herself should look at the work.
It was customary to rinse shirts and canvases in spring water, and then hang them on bushes and trees, which by that time were already covered with young greenery.
In the Orthodox calendar, the second of May is the day when two saints named John are venerated: John the Old Hermit and the Holy Martyr John the Warrior.
Traditions and omens for the second of May.
The custom of dressing spring in new clothes on the second of May was created in order to give spring its gifts and appease nature at the very beginning of its awakening. The new canvases were created by the housewives for a reason: they were hung not only on bushes that already had small leaves, but also on young grass. At the same time, a pie was placed on the grass on top of the cloth as a gift to spring. The peasants believed that in response to such generous gifts, Mother Spring would be able to ensure that future harvests would be strong and plentiful.
The canvases were left on the grass and bushes for a while so that the fabric could soak well in the spring and warm up in the spring sun. In the late afternoon, the canvases were collected, rolled up and went to the fair to sell. If the canvases sold well that day, then in the evening the hostess of the house lit a church candle in front of the image of St. John and prayed for good harvests this year.
In the early days of May, ancient people performed special rituals against the evil eye, which were able to protect people from evil spirits and evil influences. In particular, these rituals were often performed to protect children. The ritual was performed only at sunset, and only if the sky was colored red or pink.
After the ceremony was over, the person who conducted it went out to the intersection and bowed low to all sides of the world.
Dreams from the first to the second of May were considered prophetic, and its fulfillment should be expected within seven to ten days.
On this day, it was customary to observe the weather changes. If precipitation falls on the second of May, the next June will be hot and dry. If this day was pleased with the warm and dry weather, it meant that by the end of the month you need to wait for cold weather and frosts. spinline καζίνο