22-23 September is the period of the autumnal equinox. In the folk calendar, it is preceded by the ‘Rich Man’ Festival, which is timed to coincide with the end of the harvest.
Photos from last year’s holiday in Vyazynka
‘Rich Man’ is a splint with rye with a candle inserted in the middle. Rye for the wealthy residents was collected by the entire village. According to tradition, a priest was invited to the house where a Rich Man had been placed. After the service, a splint with the grain and a burning candle, accompanied by all the village inhabitants, was carried across the village. The participants then went to the next house, which hosted the Rich Man for the whole year. It was clearly a magic ritual, focused on the preservation of welfare, productivity, cattle fertility, and marital success.
