Christians commemorate the feast day of Saint Great Martyr Artemius of Antioch. He was a prominent military leader and later became the governor of Egypt.
The saint disagreed with the policies of the reigning emperor, who exterminated Christians in an attempt to preserve paganism in the state. Artemius expressed this to the ruler, and for his disobedience, he was also captured, tortured, and beheaded.
On this day, peasants carried out work in preparation for winter. Women continued to prepare provisions, such as pickling cabbage. Men performed minor repairs on their homes, insulating them for the cold. An important aspect of winter preparation was strengthening the fence. This was primarily done to prevent hungry wolves from entering the yard and attacking livestock and people.
If wolves approached close to the residential areas, the bell ringer would alert the residents by ringing the bell. It was customary to walk around the yard with a special bell every evening before going to sleep.
There was also a belief that wealth could seep out of the house through holes in the fence, so on November 2, it was necessary to strengthen the fence to avoid need in the following year.
Weather Signs
Branches of trees covered with frost indicate a poor harvest in summer. Wolves howling predict imminent frosts.
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