Okolitsa is what? Traditions and ceremonies associated with the outskirts of the village

The meaning of the word "outskirts" began to be forgotten by people. But how can you blame them for this? After all, these are the realities: some things arise, others disappear without a trace. And nothing can be done about this.

A century ago the word "outskirts" was widely used, especially among the villagers. Many traditions and rituals were associated with him, but about everything in order.

What it is?

Outskirts - a wooden fence surrounding the village or village. It served as a boundary marking the edge of the village. They made it from wooden beams or vines. It depended on a certain region and those natural resources that were available to its inhabitants.

The height of the outskirts varied throughout the centuries. Initially, it served as a kind of protective shaft, protecting the village from enemies and wild beasts. But over time, attacks began to occur less and less frequently, because the civilized world did not encourage robbery. After that, the outskirts became, rather, a decoration, rather than a protective mechanism.

If we talk about it in a figurative sense, then the outskirts are the edge of the village. However, it need not be fenced or marked. In this case, this is a symbol.

Ancient traditions of the Slavs

Special power was possessed by the outskirts of the Slavs. This can be understood by examining those beliefs and rites that have been able to reach our times. In some villages they are held until now, however, now it is, rather, entertainment, rather than a sacred action. But there were times when people sincerely believed in the existence of spirits and demons. At the same time, they tried their best to protect themselves from their evil influence.

Slavs believed that the outskirts - a wall that protects the world of people from the spirit world. They believed that evil spirits could not pass through this barrier, unless an evil sorcerer helped her in this. That is why they carefully selected the place and material for its erection.

Ritual for Great Saturday

Oskolitsa is not an easy wooden fence. If it is built without proper ritual, then it will lose its magical properties. The Slavs knew this, and therefore they always performed the ritual in the way that traditions dictated.

Most often, the action fell on the Great Sabbath, because on this day the good magic is the strongest. By tradition, on the specified day it was necessary to delineate the border of the village with a wooden plow, in order to form a small ditch. If this was the first rite in the village, then in the place of the ditch a small fence was put in the course of time.

In some villages, this tradition has survived even after the arrival of Christianity. True, its meaning has changed a little. Now, such rites are a rarity, and the word "fringe" disappears from the verbal turnover.