Every year on September 27, the Slavs celebrated the great feast of Rodogoshch, which was also called Tausen. This event was associated both with harvesting, and with the end of summer and preparation for the cold winter.
In the old days Rodogoshch was the largest holiday associated with harvesting, as well as one of the four Holy Holidays of Kologoda. The Slavs believed that it was on this day that the bright gods begin to leave the earth and go to Svarga, i.e. On sky. There the gods will remain until next spring. However, although they leave the faithful in the winter, their strength remains in the hearts of those who live righteously.
Rodogoshch began with the beginning, when the Slavs with the help of magicians sought to find out what awaits them next year. After fortunetelling and sacred rites, they put a huge honey cake, specially prepared for the holiday. This cake, as a rule, was so large that it often turned out to be higher than a person. The priest hid behind him, and then asked others if they saw him or not. If the cake was not high enough, and those present answered that they saw the priest, he wished them a rich harvest next year, so that the villagers could bake a larger cake.
After that, a fun feast began. Since the harvest for Tausen was for the most part already harvested, the table was bursting with dishes. A rich and luxurious feast was both a relaxation after hard peasant work, and an award for hard work. Since September 27 it was decided not only to celebrate a successful harvest, but also to remember the approaching winter, the Slavs played out scenes from the tale of the hero and the underworld. This tale reminded people of both the fading of the Sun, and the fact that Winter is gradually gaining strength and will soon reign.
In the evening, before dark, it was customary to light a fire and jump over it. This rite symbolized the purification that the flame bestows on every person. The priests did not just jump over the fire, but even walked barefoot over the coals, introducing themselves into trance with uniform blows of a tambourine and singing. And, finally, the Rodogoshch feast was not complete without merry parties in which everyone was interested.
