Orthodox Christians celebrate Savior of the Apple Feast Day

Orthodox Christians are celebrating one of the twelve great feasts of the liturgical year – the Transfiguration of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Gospel recounts that shortly before His suffering Jesus and three of his apostles, Peter, James, and John, go to Mount Tabor to pray. There, Jesus revealed His divine nature. “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light," the Gospel reads. “A bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Through His Transfiguration, the Savior showed humanity what they will become in the future life, in the Kingdom of Heaven, and how the entire earthly world will be transformed at that time.

The Feast of the Transfiguration is associated with an ancient tradition, namely the blessing of the first fruits of the new harvest. In Belarus, these are typically apples. Hence, the feast is popularly known as the Savior of the Apple Feast Day. It was traditionally believed that consuming fruits before the Apple Savior was not permitted. Only after being blessed in church were they brought home and eaten to break the fast. On this day, in many regions, people would carry the consecrated apples to cemeteries, placing one on the grave of each departed relative.

Among all fruit trees, the apple tree holds a place of special reverence for the Eastern Slavs. It not only symbolizes life, eternity, and immortality. It was believed that the tree could bestow these very qualities upon a person by gifting them its fruits.