Orthodox believers in Ukraine celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord on August 6, a major feast day popularly known as Apple Spas. Under the traditional Julian calendar, the date corresponds to August 19.
The holiday commemorates the biblical event on Mount Tabor, where Jesus Christ revealed His Divine glory to His disciples and confirmed His Divine and human nature. Widespread celebration of the feast began in the fourth century after a church was built on Mount Tabor.
On the eve of the holiday, the Orthodox Church honors Saint Theoctistus, Bishop of Chernihiv. He labored at the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery as its abbot before leading the Chernihiv Diocese, and Church authorities moved his feast day to August 5 because the anniversary of his death coincided with the major holiday. Under the old calendar, August 6 honors the holy passion-bearers Princes Boris and Gleb.
Church Services and Feast Customs
Churches hold festive liturgy services on August 6, followed by the blessing of new harvest fruits including apples, pears, and grapes. Believers who cannot bring fruits to church are encouraged to attend services and pray.
Because the holiday falls during the Dormition Fast, festive tables feature Lenten dishes, apple pastries, jams, and compotes. Fasting rules permit eating fish on this feast day. People share blessed fruits with relatives, neighbors, and those in need, as folk belief holds that good deeds performed on the holiday carry special value.
Folk tradition recommends making a wish while eating a blessed apple with gratitude and positive thoughts to attract happy life changes. Church guidance calls on believers to avoid quarrels, profanity, envy, malice, greed, revenge, and despondency, while offering help to anyone in need.
Tradition also dictates avoiding heavy physical labor, field work, garden work, cleaning, repairs, sewing, noisy feasts, and excessive alcohol consumption, devoting the day instead to prayer and family.
Folk Weather Signs for the Season
Folk signs suggest that weather on Transfiguration predicts the coming autumn and winter. Clear and sunny weather indicates a warm and dry autumn, while rain points to a wet autumn and intense heat foreshadows a frosty winter.
Believers also observe that weather on Transfiguration indicates conditions for the Pokrova holiday, while Second Spas foreshadows January weather. As nights grow cooler following the holiday, traditional sayings remark that summer begins yielding to autumn and advise keeping mittens ready in reserve.
