The images of Kozma and Demyan existed before Christianity. During the expulsion of paganism, many ideas about them were transferred to Saints Cosmas and Damian, who merged into popular consciousness in one person and often called Kuzma-Demyan.
The people imagined Kozma and Demyan as the blacksmiths of God and Winter, shackling the earth and water in icy shackles, creating frost and winter cold.
This is where most of the proverbs and sayings related to this day come from:
“Kuzma-Demyan is God’s blacksmith, he forges roads and rivers,”
“Kuzma-Demyan’s forge is small, but ice chains are forged in it for all of holy Rus'.”

There is a story about how they forge plows and plows and distribute them to people, and in some legends they even teach people agricultural work.
Blacksmiths turned to Kuzma and Demyan as their patrons and celebrated the autumn day of their memory - November 1/14, the first winter holiday.

Through blacksmithing, Kuzma and Demyan contacted fire element, which correlated them with the cult of Perun. The holy blacksmiths Kuzma and Demyan were endowed with a permanent attribute in popular belief - a hammer. They also forged weddings. In the wedding ceremony, songs addressed Kozma and Demyan:
"You and forge us,
Kuzma-Demyan, wedding!
To firmly and firmly
So that forever and ever,
So that the sun does not dry it out,
So that it doesn't get wet by the rain,
So that the wind does not scatter,
Don't let people tell you!"
Russian folklore, 1986

The tradition of locking a marriage with a key and throwing the keys into the water so that the contract cannot be terminated is still alive today.
Kuzma and Demyan were called artisans who loved to work (handicraftsmen), and women appealed to their patronage,
taking on different things throughout the year: “Kuzma-Demyan, mother, help me work!”(Ryazan. Selivanov V.V. 1887).

Happy Kuzma and Demyan Day folk tradition begin teaching children to read and write, which is apparently why the custom of praying occurs
to the saints "about the insight of the mind to the teaching of literacy." Christian legends told about Cosmas and Damian as unmercenary doctors.

According to popular beliefs today, Kuzma and Demyan are also patrons of doctors and healers, so it is not uncommon to turn to them in conspiracies for various diseases.

Required materials for one doll (i.e. all materials except hands, two blanks):
hand stick 1 cm thick, 28 cm long;
a flap for a stick of the same color as the shirt, 8x28 cm;
white flap for the head 20x20 cm;
body flap (any) 12x16 cm;
flap for trousers 10x20 cm;
flap for a shirt 8x18 cm;
collar for cutting 1.3 x 9 cm;
strip of burlap for hair 4x9 cm;
a piece of soft drape, felt or fabric suitable for a hat, 10x12 cm;
a piece of soft leather or suitable thick fabric for an apron 11 cm high, 14 cm at the bottom and 10 cm at the top (rhombus);
boots (my version is the fingers of leather gloves);
straps for an apron 0.5 cm x 12 cm, pocket for an apron 4x4 cm, a pocket on an apron is required!
belt made of soft leather 1 cm X 24 cm, a narrow strip for a hat;
a little padding polyester.

2 Attributes: hammer, blacksmith's tongs, horseshoes, rings, or their imitation - as a talisman of marriage bonds and for the same purpose a closed lock with keys.

3 We decorate the head in the usual way, connecting the corners of the fabric diagonally.

4 Glue the hair.

5 Wrap your hands (stick) in shirt fabric.

6 We fold the body flap along its length to a width of 2 cm according to the “lift” principle.

7 We design the legs.

8 We shape the body by connecting the head, arms and legs.

9 On the shirt we make a cut from the center on 4 sides so that the head goes through.

10 We secure the body on the arms from the very head. We bandage it tightly.

11 We apply a protective cross.

12 We put a collar around the neck, maybe like a scarf, securing it with a little glue on the chest.

13 We put on the shirt and tuck the collar under the shirt.

14 We put on boots. The foot, if there are no soft plates, can be easily shaped using an unbent paper clip. If the boots are wide, you can also fix them with glue or wrap them with thread, like bast shoes. Because I had stiff fabric on my trousers, so I had to lightly fasten my legs together.

15 Try on the apron, glue the straps, belt, and sew on the pocket.

16 We glue the straps at the back so that the head passes freely and then, when putting on the apron, we also attach it to any side with glue so that the straps do not fall off.

17 We put on an apron, hat and attributes. We make the second doll in the same way.

18 Kozma and Demyan are placed above the workplace until the next first winter holiday.

These are such skillful, wise, reliable assistants to come to your home and help you.

KUZMA-DEMYAN . Kuzmodemyan, Kuzminki - day of remembrance of the holy brothers Cosmas and Damian (1/14.XI). According to legend, they were originally from Asia Minor; their pagan father died when they were still children, and their mother, a Christian, raised them in Christian piety. When the brothers grew up, they received a good education and became skilled doctors: they “acquired the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit to heal the mental and physical ailments of people through the power of prayer,” they even treated animals, and at the same time they never took any payment for healing, strictly observing the commandment of Jesus Christ : “Freely you have received, freely give.” The fame of the brothers thundered throughout the area, and people called them “unmercenary.” But one day the saints were called to a hopelessly ill Christian woman, and after the fervent prayers of the brothers, she was healed; the saints, as usual, did not take any payment from her, but she, wanting to somehow thank them, secretly came to Damian, brought him three eggs and said: “Accept this small gift in the name of the Holy One.” Life-Giving Trinity- Father, Son and Holy Spirit." Hearing the name of the Holy Trinity, Damian did not dare to refuse, but Cosmas, having learned about what had happened, was very saddened, deciding that his brother had violated their strict vow, and when the time came for him to go to the Lord, he bequeathed that his brother should not be buried next to him. When Damian also died, people could not decide where his grave would be, but then a camel came, which the brothers had once cured of rabies, and in a human voice said that, without doubt, they should lay Damian together with Cosmas, because “not Damian accepted the gift of a woman for the sake of a bribe, but for the sake of the name of God.” According to legend, the holy brothers performed many miracles even after death. They told, for example, how a certain husband, setting off on a long journey and leaving his wife alone, in his prayers entrusted her to the heavenly protection of these two saints; when one of his friends (who, according to popular belief, was “possessed by the enemy of the human race”) planned to destroy his wife and she, seeing that she was in danger, cried out to God, two formidable saints appeared before her, and her the offender, rushing to run in fear, fell into the abyss.

Obviously, in connection with all these legends, Cosmas and Damian in Rus' were universally considered patrons of marriage, poultry and many crafts, primarily medicine (the names of these saints were often mentioned in East Slavic spells pronounced for various diseases) and blacksmithing. In the Byzantine tradition, holy brothers were not associated with blacksmithing; however, in Rus', the people probably connected the name Kuzma with the word forge, smithy, and thus Kuzma became a blacksmith, and since blacksmiths usually worked in pairs (master and assistant), Demyan, Kuzma’s brother, also began to be perceived as a blacksmith .

Cosmas and Damian (usually called Kozma and Demyan) were extremely revered in Rus'. At the same time, in the popular imagination, Kuzma and Demyan often merged into a single image of Kuzma-Demyan, Kuzmodemyan, God's Koval, the legends about which were very close to the ancient legends about Svarog, the blacksmith god, the patron of marriage and the conqueror of the Serpent. Yes, according to Ukrainian belief, God Koval - Kuzma-Demyan - once forged the first plow for people, grabbed the Snake’s tongue with pincers and harnessed it to the plow, forcing him to plow the land from sea to sea, which is why the “Serpent Shafts” (ancient fortifications in the Middle Dnieper region) were formed. In the Russian tradition, Saints Kuzma and Demyan “forged” weddings and marriages, and in wedding songs they were asked to “forge a strong wedding” and “make the newlyweds.” In addition, the saints also “forged” ice bridges in late autumn on rivers: “Kuzma-Demyan will forge - it will not be unforged until spring”, “A river cannot be forged in winter without Kozmodemyan”, “Kuzma-Demyan is a blacksmith, forges ice on land and on water "etc.

Probably for the reason that Saints Cosmas and Damian were revered as “forgers of marriage,” their holiday in Rus' was one of the maiden holidays. The girls celebrated it widely and, if possible, wildly: all over the place. the holiday (sometimes lasting three days) they rented a hut ahead of time, where they were going to celebrate the Kuzma party, and then went from house to house and collected food for dinner. For the holiday, each girl was supposed to bring something raw from home - potatoes, butter, eggs, cereals, etc.; in addition, girls often went around other people's houses, begging for supplies for the feast. When the food was collected, the girls worked together to prepare food and brew beer. These “Ssypchinas” were arranged primarily for themselves; however, in the evening, guys were usually invited to the party, and then the fun began - joint games, courtship and “grooming.” Kuzminki was celebrated “until light”, and the guys, having finished with the prepared treat, often went to steal neighbor’s chickens, which the girls then fried for them in the “fat” hut. At the same time, of course, it was kept in complete secrecy how many chickens were stolen and from whom, although thefts of this kind were usually treated leniently among the peasants: “if they scold, it is only for the sake of order.”

In some places there was even a custom, according to which the girl-bride was considered the full mistress of the house on the day of Cosmas and Damian: she prepared dishes for the family and treated everyone, and served chicken noodles as an honorary treat. In general, the obligatory ritual dishes on this day were considered different dishes from chicken: they were served in honor of the patron saints of chickens. Porridge was often considered a mandatory dish at Kuzminki. This was explained by one folk legend, according to which Saints Cosmas and Damian were simple workers who most willingly hired themselves out to thresh, but at the same time never demanded payment from anyone, but only asked that their owners feed them plenty of porridge. This legend, known in the Vologda region, also explained the custom according to which the owners considered it a rule to cook porridge at the hammers, and the workers demanded it from the owners as something due; finishing the last barn, they usually said: “The owner has a stir, and we have a pot of porridge.”

Because of these two ritual dishes (porridge and chicken), the holiday of Cosmas and Damian was sometimes called “kashnik” or “chicken coop” by the people. However, the last name, obviously, was also connected with the fact that Saints Kuzma and Demyan themselves, the patrons of poultry, were also often called “chicken coops” and “chicken gods.” The day of remembrance of these saints could be called “cochetyatnik”, “chicken holiday”, as well as “chicken name day”. On this day, prayers were served in the chicken coops and the priest sprinkled holy water on the poultry. In addition, in many places chickens were always slaughtered for Cosma and Damian (“Kuzma-Demyan - chicken death”), as if making a sacrifice to the patron saints; for example, in the Kursk province they cut “three chickens” and ate them in the morning, at lunch and in the evening, “so that the bird would be found.”

Special rituals associated with the reproduction and well-being of poultry surrounded the meal, during which chicken dishes were served. So, the owners, when they ate chicken at dinner, tried not to break chicken bones, believing that otherwise next year chickens could be born ugly (at the same time, in some places, housewives also believed that if in Kuzminki you slaughter two roosters or a rooster and a chicken and, having eaten them, drill holes in their fillies, and then throw them into the chicken coop, then on next year all chickens will certainly have fillies with holes). In addition, when sitting down to a meal, the hosts considered it necessary to invite the saints to share the treat with them: “Kuzma-Demyan, come to us to eat porridge”; in some places the meal began with the following prayer: “Kuzma-Demyan-Srebrenica! Give birth, Lord, so that there will be squeaky birds.”

In some places, the celebration of Kuzminki was accompanied by a special custom, known as the “funeral of Kuzma-Demyan.” It consisted of girls making a stuffed animal in a “fat” hut, the body of which consisted of a man’s shirt and trousers stuffed with straw; They put a “chapan” on the effigy, girded it with a sash, and then put it on a stretcher and carried it into the forest, outside the village. There they undressed the scarecrow, scattered straw and danced on it.

From the day of Kuzma-Demyan, women began to work closely on winter yarn; and since the holy brothers were sometimes perceived as patrons of women’s needlework, they were approached with a request to help keep up with those who started it earlier in their work: “Father Kozma-Demyan! Compare me, the late one, with the early ones.”

The Autumn Kuzminki folk holiday is celebrated on November 14, 2019 (the old style date is November 1). Believers Orthodox Church On this day they honor the memory of the holy unmercenaries and wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian of Asia and their mother, the Venerable Theodotia.

History of the holiday

Cosma and Damian (Kuzma and Demyan) were brothers. Their mother raised them in Christianity, and they preached this faith in hometown. When the brothers reached adolescence, they were sent to study medicine. Imagine the surprise of many when they began to heal people doomed to death from illnesses. However, they did not take payment for their efforts.

One day they cured a woman of a fatal illness, and she, in gratitude, in the name of the Lord God, asked Kuzma to accept 3 eggs from her. He could not refuse her and accepted the gifts. Then his brother was offended by him, saying that Kuzma had broken the vow they had made and forbade them to bury themselves next to him.

After their death, Christians began to think about fulfilling Demyan’s will. While they were racking their brains, a camel appeared in the crowd, which the brothers had once saved. He spoke in a human voice and ordered to put them together, since Kuzma did not accept the woman’s gifts for selfish reasons. So the brothers were buried in the same grave.

Traditions and rituals

On this day it was customary to exchange chickens as gifts. Such chickens were never slaughtered until they themselves died; they were fed oats or barley. It was believed that the eggs that such a chicken would lay would be healing. Some people believed that the legs of a rooster killed on this day, thrown onto the roof of a house, would help increase the number of poultry.

On November 14, the girls organized Kuzminsky parties. A few days before the holiday, they rented a hut, collected food and brewed beer. In the evening, young people came and fun, dancing and flirting began. When food ran out, young people went to steal chickens. On this day, such thefts were considered excusable.

The last autumn weddings were celebrated on Kuzminki.

Women began to make yarn.

Blacksmiths did not work on this day, as this was considered a great sin.

Signs

If it's during the day warm weather, then the winter will be warm.

If on Kuzminki autumn trees If they have not completely shed their leaves, then the winter will be severe and the harvest will not be harvested.

If it snows, then in the spring the river will overflow.

Even the appeals have been preserved.

Reading the names as the names of buffoons can only cause laughter at the expense of ignoramuses who are very poorly acquainted with Slavic mythology and the dynamics of replacing the theonyms of Slavic Gods with the names of Christian “saints” and scientific works on this topic. (you can recommend the article by SDES - Kuzma and Demyan)

Agapkina T.A., Belova O.V. Ginpiyc V. Koval Kuzma-Demyan in folklore // Ethnographic visnik. Kiev, 1929. Book. 8;
Petrov V. Kuzma-Dem"yan in Ukrainian folklore // Ibid. Book 9.
Makashina T.S. Saints Cosmas and Damian in Russian folklore // Living Antiquity. 1994. No. 3. P. 18-21. and so on. A small piece of legends on the topic:
Kuzma and Demyan were associated with the blacksmith shop craft and folk legends and fairy tales that tell how they forge plows and plows and distribute them to people, and in some tales they even teach people agricultural work. In riddles, a forged iron chain is called Kuzma - “Kuzma is knotty, it cannot be untied.”

And according to northern belief, the chains forged by God's blacksmiths Kuzma and Demyan are imposed by Michael the Archangel on the devil. There are known beliefs about Kuzma-Demyan as two blacksmiths forging stars on the moon or sky. In addition, works of East Slavic folklore create from Saints Cosmas and Damian the image of blacksmiths-snake fighters fighting evil spirits - We are the serpent.(Compare in Russian fairy tales, the blacksmith for his witchcraft works knows with evil spirits, in particular, with). Thus, in the Belarusian fairy tale “Ivan Popyalov”, the blacksmiths Kuzma and Demyan, having hidden the winner of the snake in their forge from the snake, pinched its tongue with red-hot tongs and killed it with hammers (lightning), and in southern Russian and Ukrainian legends, the blacksmiths Kuzma and Demyan (var. Boris and Gleb), having caught him, who was exterminating people and collecting human tribute, they harness him to the first plow they forged, and plow the land on it from sea to sea.

Any literate person will undoubtedly immediately recognize WHOSE Images were covered with “Kozmodemyan”.

The epic about Vavil and his journey with the buffoons captures the direct connection of the epic plot with the buffoon's creativity. The epic was first recorded in 1899 in the village. Shotogorka of the Pinezhsky district of the Arkhangelsk province from M. D. Krivopolenova by the famous collector A. D. Grigoriev. The collector could not have known that Krivopolenova’s text would be the only one, and considered it premature to discuss it until there were new options. In our time, the epic was repeatedly recorded in a dilapidated form. Grigoriev only noted that “the purpose of this old buffoon is not to make people laugh, but to inspire respect for the buffoons, who are presented here not as cheerful people, but as holy people.
Questions about the time, place and environment in which the epic arose, raised by Grigoriev himself, remained unresolved. The meaning of its content and individual motives is not entirely clear, as is the reason for its uniqueness, although a significant amount of material has been accumulated: both commentary notes and detailed articles. The integrity of the content, the harmony of the composition, the original figurative and artistic fabric of the work as a whole speak of impeccable mastery of the epic epic form. And at the same time, “it is a rare case in folklore that such an outstanding work is preserved in the memory of only a single storyteller,” noted V. I. Kalugin (2 pp. 108-109). However, there is a reason for this.120. The buffoons in the epic began to play for the first time - and in response to the flood caused by King Dog, the bulls went in herds and drank the water. The buffoons began to play a second time, apparently in response to some new hostile actions of the enemy, but this link was lost. The very names of the supporters and relatives of Tsar Dog indicate individuals who remake everything in their own way and redo it to the detriment of people: Peregud, Perekrasa, Peresvet.

Vavilo and buffoons:

At the priceless widow's and at Nenila's
And she had Vavilo’s tsyado.
And Vavilushko went to the field
He will grow his cornrow orati,
Ishsha sow white wheat:
I want to feed my dear mother.
And to that widow and to Nenila
Cheerful people came to see her,
Cheerful people are not simple
Not ordinary people, buffoons.
- Hello, Tsesna widow Nenila!
Where are you and now Vavilo? -
- And Vavilushko left for the field
He will grow his cornrow orati,
Ishsha sow white wheat:
I want to feed my dear mother.–
They say like those buffoons:
- We will go to Babylon on the field;
Is he not coming to mess with us? –
And they went to Vavilushka in the field:
- Hello, my dear Vavilo,
You nivushka and you shout,
Ishsha sow the white wheat,
Dear mother, feed you! -
- Thank you, funny people,
Funny people, buffoons;
Where did you go and on the road? -
- We went here to make fun;
We went to Inishshoye Tsarsvo
Outplay the King Dog,
Ishshe his son and Peregud,
Ishsha his son-in-law and Peresvet,
I'll give it to him and repaint it.
Come, Vavilo, and play tricks with us! –
Tsyado Vavilo said:
- I don’t know how to sing songs,
I'm not good at playing the horn.-
Kuzma spoke to Demyan:

And in the ringing in Pereladets;

Vavilo played the horn

And that’s why Vavil has it
And there was a snuffler in his hands1)–
And there was a buzz here;
Ishsha was in his hands and the reins were here -
Ishsha became silk strings,
Ishshe then tsyado and here Vavilo
He sees that people here are not simple,
Not ordinary people, those bright ones;
He's going to be a mess.
He led them on their way home.
Ishsha is a Tsesna widow here and Nenila is here
Ishsha began to feed them here.
She carried it "for those rye breads -
And those breads became millet;
I carried it to the boiled chicken -
Ishsha chicken here and the branch took off,
She sat down on the pole and began to sing.
Ishsha is that widow and Nenila is here
Ishsha sees that people here are not simple,
Not ordinary people, those bright ones,
And they bring Vavil down to make fun of him.
And the buffoons are walking along the road.
At the threshing floor, a man threshes peas.
- God help you, yes, peasant,
Thresh white peas! -
- Thank you, funny people,
Funny people, buffoons;
Where did you go and on the road? -
- We went to another kingdom
Outplay the King Dog,
Ishsha his son and Peregud,
Ishsha his son-in-law and Peresvet,
Ishsha dots it and repaint it.-

- From that king and from the Dog
And around the yard there is a climbing wall,

The heads sit on the kissers,
And on three branches there are branches
Ishsha there are no kissing heads here;
Let your heads be here too.-

You could not tell us good (and) think,

Play the horn, Vavilo

And Kuzma and Demyan will accommodate.-
Vavilo played the horn,
The pigeons flew in herds,
And here there are herds and herds;
They started pecking at the man's peas.
He began to send them here as kitsigs2) shchybati;
He was shaking, he thought they were pigeons,
He killed all his guys.
- I’ve been heavy here, but I’ve sinned:
These people were not simple,
Not ordinary people - those bright ones -
Ishsha tell them and don’t pray.-
And the buffoons are walking along the road.
And a man goes to sell them pots.
- God help you, peasant,
Come on, sell pots! -
- Thank you, funny people,
Funny people, buffoons;
Where did you go and on the road? -
Outplay the King Dog,
Ishsha his son and Peregud,
Ishsha his son-in-law and Peresvet,
Ishsha dots it and repaint it.-
The peasant said yes:
- From that king and from the Dog
And around the yard there is a climbing wall,
And on each one here and on tits
Kissers make their heads turn gray,
And at three the branches are on their heads
There are no kissing heads here;
Let your heads be here.-
- Wow, you are a peasant!
You couldn't think of any good for us,
Ishsha dashing you wouldn’t tell us.
Play the horn, Vavilo
And in the ringing day in Pereladets;
And Kuzma and Demyan will adapt.-
Vavilo played the horn
And in the ringing of Pereladets,
The chickens and the rabbis flew away,
The maryukhas flew with their shoals3);
Ishsha began to sit on the peasant’s shafts.
He began to beat them here
And put it in your cart.
And the man went to town,
He became so angry,
Yes, he and his cart were lucky, -
The chickens and rabbis flew away,
The motley birds with their hawks flew away,
The maryukhas flew with their shoals.
He looked at the cart in his, -
Ishshe is here with nothing but his hands.
- Oh! I seriously sinned here:
These people were not ordinary people,
Not ordinary people, bright ones, -
Ishsha I told them I didn’t pray.-
And the buffoons are walking along the road.
Ishsha is red and there is a girl here,
And she rinsed the laundry.
- Your ears are growing, beautiful maiden,
On white canvases and rinse! -
- Thank you, funny people,
Funny people, buffoons;
Where did you go and on the road? -
- We went to the Inishypoye Tsarsvo
Outplay the King Dog,
Eshshe his son and Peregud,
Eshshe his son-in-law and Peresvet
Let’s give it a go and repaint it.–
The red maiden said:
- God help you to replay
And that king and the Dog for you,
Ishsha his son and Peregud,
Ishsha his son-in-law and Peresvet
And give it to him and repaint it.-
- Play the horn, Vavilo.
And in the ringing day in Pereladets;
And Kuzma and Demyan will adapt.-
Vavilo played the horn
And in the ringing of Pereladets,
And Kuzma and Demyan adapted it.
And that red girl,
And she had canvases from Kholshov,
Ishsha became silk and satin.
Speaks like a red maiden:
- There were people walking here, but not ordinary ones,
Not ordinary people - those bright ones -
Ishsha, I didn’t pray to them.–
And the buffoons are walking along the road,
And they go to another kingdom.
The King Dog began to play,
The dog started playing the horn
And in the ring in Pereladets, -
Ishsha began to flow and flow:
Ishsha want to drown them with water.
- Play the horn, Vavilo.
And in the ringing in Pereladets;
And Kuzma and Demyan will help.-
Vavilo played the horn
And in the ringing of Pereladets,
And Kuzma and Demyan added:
And the bulls went here in herds,
And here there are herds and herds,
Ishsha began to drink and drink;
Ishsha the water began to decrease.
- Play the horn, Vavilo.
And in the ringing day in Pereladets;
And Kuzma and Demyan will adapt.-
Vavilo played the horn,
And in the ringing of Pereladets,
And Kuzma and Demyan quickly helped:
The kingdom of the world caught fire
And it burned from edge to edge,
They put Vavilushka here in Tsarsvo.
He brought the vet here and his mother.

The text is published based on the first entry in 1900: Grigoriev A.D. Arkhangelsk epics, vol. 1, no. 85.

• Snuggle - whip, drive.
  
• Kichiga - threshed, upper part flail.
  
• Pieds - tether; maryuhi – field bird; Kosachi - polnik, field bird. (Explanation by the storyteller.)

The unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian were brothers. Their homeland is Asia. This is how part of Asia Minor was called in ancient times. Neither their time of birth nor their time of death is known. What is certain is that they lived no later than the 4th century. One must think this way, firstly, because in the first half of the 5th century, under Emperor Theodosius the Younger, holy temples were built in their name, and secondly, because the Copts, who separated from Orthodoxy since the Council of Chalcedon (431), recognize they are recognized as saints, whereas they do not accept saints who lived after this time.

Their father was a Greek and a pagan, their mother was a Christian, named Theodotia. IN early years they lost their parent, but this served to their happiness. The mother could be more free to raise her children. Deciding to remain a widow for the rest of her life, she zealously fulfilled the Christian law; having given up all the joys of life, she only cared about it in order to please the Lord. In a word, she was a true widow, such as the Apostle Paul praises: a true widow is solitary, trusts in God and remains in prayer and supplication day and night (1 Tim. 5:5).

Therefore, the Holy Church canonized her, named her venerable and commemorates her together with her children. One can understand what kind of upbringing the children received under the guidance of such a mother. From infancy, she tried to instill in them the fear of God and love of virtue. And as soon as the children began to grow up, she sent them to a certain God-fearing husband to learn to read and write. Here, of course, the main science was the Divine Scripture, but at the same time, driven by love for suffering humanity, they studied medical science and learned the healing properties of herbs and plants.

The Lord blessed their good intentions and gave them special grace - the gift of healings and miracles. The illnesses stopped as soon as Cosmas and Damian began to treat. This, of course, attracted many sick people of all kinds to them.

The blind, the lame, the paralytic, and the possessed surrounded the miracle workers. But the saints were not burdened by this. Not only to be more accessible to the sick, they themselves looked for them and for this they moved from city to city, from city to city, and to all the sick, without distinction of gender and age, rank and condition, they gave healing.

And they did this not in order to get rich or become famous, but with the purest, highest goal - to serve the suffering for the sake of God, to express love for God in love for their neighbors. Therefore, they never accepted any reward from anyone for their labors, not even any signs of gratitude for their own good deeds. They firmly knew and faithfully kept the commandment of the Savior: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons: eat tuna, give tuna (Matthew 10:8).

They received grace from God freely, and freely distributed it. They asked only one thing of those healed by them: that they firmly believe in Christ, live holy in Christ; if those being healed were not yet enlightened by the light of the Gospel, then they tried to convert them to the Christian faith. Thus, while healing physical ailments, they at the same time healed mental ailments.

For this selfless service to suffering humanity, for these miraculous healings of incurable diseases, the Holy Church calls them unmercenary and miracle workers.

But the healing power of the holy doctors did not extend only to people. They did not forget dumb animals. The righteous has mercy on the souls of beasts and speaks the word of God (Proverbs 12:10). Faithful to this commandment, they walked through houses, deserts and forests, themselves looking for sick animals and giving them healing. Grateful animals felt their benefits, knew their benefactors, and, as soon as these appeared in the deserts, followed them in whole herds.

One day they happened to go into a deserted place. Here they found a barely alive camel. The devil drove him here and broke him here; The saints took pity on the animal, healed it and released it healthy to its place. Afterwards, as we will see, the animal did not remain ungrateful to them.

The entire life of the unmercenary saints was spent in such works of mercy. The brothers never separated from each other; they prayed together, walked together, and healed together. And they did this with a purpose. Having vowed never to take anything from anyone, they were afraid that someone would secretly take any gifts from the healed people from each other. All their lives they kept their vow, and only at the end of it did the Lord allow one of them to break it.

In those days there was a certain wife named Palladia. Having suffered from a serious illness for several years, not receiving relief from any doctors, already feeling the approach of death, she suddenly heard about holy doctors who heal all sorts of diseases.

With faith in their miraculous power, she sent them to her to ask. The saints fulfilled her request, and as soon as they entered her house, the sick woman received healing and stood up completely healthy. In gratitude for the healing, she was ready to give them all her property and offered rich gifts, but the saints did not accept anything.

Then she came up with a means of begging at least one of them to accept an insignificant gift from her. Taking three eggs, she secretly came to Saint Damian and conjured him in the name of God to take these three eggs from her in the name of the Holy Trinity. Damian refused for a long time, but for the sake of his wife’s oath, for the sake of the name of God, he gave in to her request.

Cosmas found out about this, was very upset and then made a will so that, after their death, Damian’s body would not be buried with him, as someone who had broken his vow to the Lord and taken a bribe for healing. That same night the Lord appeared to Cosmas and said: “Why are you grieving for the sake of the three eggs taken? They were taken not for the sake of a bribe, but for the sake of the wife’s oath in My name...” Cosmas was comforted, but did not tell anyone about his vision. After this, having performed many more signs and wonders, Saint Cosmas rested in peace.

Some time after his death, Saint Damian also rested in peace. People who honored their memory surrounded Damian's body and wondered where to put it. Everyone had Cosma’s will fresh in their minds, and they were afraid to break it.

And so, when they stood in bewilderment at the holy body, a camel suddenly approached them. The people were silent, the camel spoke. “Men of God,” the wordless man began his speech, “who have enjoyed many signs and wonders from Saints Cosmas and Damian, and not only you, but also we, the animals given to you by God. As a servant, I came to you to tell you the secret of Cosmas, so as not to separate them from each other, but to put them together.”

This camel was the same one that had once been healed by the saints. The people who surrounded the body of the saint thanked the Lord, who had so miraculously revealed His secret, and, placing the holy relics of the unmercenaries in one coffin, buried them in a place called Fereman (now does not exist, destroyed by the Turks). Judging by the descriptions of the originals, they died in middle age.

Soon, at the site of their burial, a wonderful and glorious church was built, as their biography says. All kinds of sick people flocked to this church from near and far countries.

Seeing such endless and inexhaustible wealth of the saints, the sick constantly surrounded their temple. After this we can judge that the sick constantly surrounded their temple. After this, one can judge how many miracles were performed by the holy unmercenaries. It is not for nothing that their biographer says that it is easier to measure the sea and count the stars than to tell all the miracles of the saints. Of the many miracles, he described twelve, and in some detail. Dimitri, Metropolitan Rostovsky, in his Chetya-menaia, described only two miracles. We will briefly talk about six of the twelve.

A certain Malchus lived in Pheremane. One day, setting off on a long journey, he brought his wife to the church of the holy unmercenaries and said to her: “Behold, I am going far away, and I am leaving you under the protection of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Live at home until I send you some sign that you will know for sure that it is mine.” Having said this, they parted.

After some time, the devil, taking on the appearance of a familiar person, came to Malkhova’s wife, showed her the very sign that her husband had spoken about, and said: “Your husband sent me to take you to him.”

The wife, seeing the sign, given by husband, she believed, but decided to go to him not before the guide took an oath in the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries on the way not to offend her in any way. But what did the oath mean to the demon? He needed to weaken people's faith in the protection of the unmercenary saints.

And so, as soon as they arrived in a wild, deserted place, the devil pushed the woman off the donkey on which she was riding and wanted to kill her. The wife cried out in horror: “Saints Cosmo and Damian, help me and deliver me!”

Saints are always close to everyone who calls them. Suddenly two horsemen appeared. The evil spirit found out who these riders were, ran up a high mountain, threw himself into the abyss and disappeared. And the horsemen, taking the wife, returned her safely to her house. The wife bowed to them and thanked them, but only asked them to tell them who they were, her saviors? “We,” the saints answered, “Cosmas and Damian, to whom your husband handed you over when he set out on his journey.” Having said this, they became invisible. The wife fell to the ground out of fear and joy.

Having come to her senses, she hurried to the temple of the holy unmercenaries and there she tearfully thanked them and told everyone about her salvation.

A certain young man, having lost his mind from fright, was brought to the temple of the holy unmercenaries with the hope of receiving healing. He spent several days and nights at the church of saints without receiving healing.

After some time, his father, a pious elder, came to him. The parent's prayer was heard. The son, who had not previously recognized his father, began to recognize him. Finally, the saints, invisibly laying their hands on him, completely healed him and, appearing to his father, commanded him to go to his home, glorifying God.

A certain man, suffering from a lung disease accompanied by hemoptysis, came to the relics of the unmercenary saints to ask for healing. His illness was so dangerous that everyone considered him close to death, and his wife even prepared everything necessary for burial. It should be noted that the patient had not previously believed in the miraculous power of the saints and often spewed blasphemy against God.

The saints healed him of both ailments. In a night vision, they proclaimed that anyone seeking healing should never speak blasphemous words from now on and should abstain from eating meat for a whole year. The patient gladly accepted that offer and faithfully fulfilled it. Then, by the command of the saints, the blood flowing through the larynx stopped, the lungs became stronger, and the patient, thanking the wonderful doctors, joyfully went to his home.

A certain mute and deaf woman came to the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries. Having suffered from this serious illness for many years, she could not expect any help for herself other than heavenly help. For a long time, persistently, with tears, she prayed to the holy doctors to heal her from both ailments. Finally, her prayer was heard. The mute and deaf woman often repeated the Trisagion in her mind. Through the Trisagion, the holy unmercenaries also showed a miracle.

During the evening service in their church, when, according to custom, the Trisagion was sung, suddenly the deaf woman heard the singers and, hitherto mute, began to sing the Trisagion with the singers. Struck by the extraordinary miracle, she loudly confessed the greatness of God revealed through the holy unmercenaries.

Unmercenary saints performed miracles in pagan countries. It happened to one Hellene, a fan of Castor and Pollux (pagan gods), to fall into a serious, unbearable illness. His friends advised him to go to the temple of the unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian. The patient obeyed. Here, seeing many sick people, many being healed, he finally became convinced of the miraculous power of doctors and with faith began to ask them for mercy.

The saints, both appearing to him together, said: “Friend! Why did you come to us? Why are you asking us? And you didn’t come to us yourself, but were sent by others. We are not Castor and Pollux, but slaves of Christ the immortal King, named Cosmas and Damian. So, if by faith you know our Master, you will receive healing from Him.”

Hellin, suffering intolerable torment, came to know the True God, constantly cried out to the saints for mercy and vowed to accept the Christian faith. The saints, seeing the purity of his faith, laid their hands on him and gave him perfect deliverance. The one who healed fulfilled his vow - accepted holy baptism. Returning to his home completely healthy, he with great joy told everyone about the miracles of the holy unmercenaries, about the insignificance of Castor and Pollux, about the superiority of Christian teaching. Many of the listeners were moved and, despising their faith, accepted Christianity.

Someone - a lover of folk spectacles - suffered from a chest disease. Finding no relief in anything, he was finally forced to go to the temple of the holy unmercenaries. The holy doctors, seeing his zeal, had mercy on the patient.

The very next night they appeared to him and ordered him to drink one cup of resin (pekla). The patient did not fulfill their orders. The saints appeared to him a second time and added another to one cup. When he did not do this either, they appeared to him a third time and ordered him to drink three cups.

Despite the illness that increased in him every day, he did not want to fulfill the commandments of the saints. Finally, they appeared to him again in a dream and with cheerful faces said: “Friend, why are you crying out to us like that? If it is unpleasant for your health to drink three bowls of resin, then pour them into one vessel and, waiting until late evening, go up the mountain with it, to the place of spectacles, and bury it there so that no one can see you. If you do this, you will receive healing.”

The patient happily did everything as ordered. But everything he did was seen by one person who was late in that place. Explaining his strange act by sorcery, he, noticing the place, went and brought with him many other people. Those, having ascertained the truth of the testimony, took and presented the imaginary sorcerer to the court. They began to interrogate. He told the whole truth - they didn’t believe him.

Finally, they decided that if this was indeed the command of the holy unmercenaries, then in the sight of everyone he should drink these three cups and receive healing. The sick man joyfully accepted the vessel, which seemed unpleasant to him, drank it in front of everyone, and immediately received healing through the power of the holy unmercenaries; He joyfully went to their temple and, having given thanks, told everyone how the holy unmercenaries had healed him of his illness, taught him obedience, and weaned him off folk spectacles.

All these miracles were performed by the holy unmercenaries in Asia, and for the most part in their temple, with the holy relics. Of course, a description of them was also compiled there. On Slavic language it was translated from Greek, as evidenced by many words left untranslated in the Slavic text. There is no doubt that the grace of the miracles of the holy unmercenaries was manifested in our Fatherland. It is not for nothing that our ancestors erected so many holy temples in their name.

In our Fatherland, the unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian (of Asia) are primarily considered the patrons of children. They are resorted to with prayer at the beginning of learning to read and write, so that they strengthen the children’s still weak strength and contribute to their correct development.

Of course, it was not without reason that our people developed such a belief. The basis for it could be, in part, their very life, and partly, their church service: firstly, in their life there is a legend about how they were taken by their mother to learn to read and write. This incident from their life is depicted on icons, secondly, in church service they are glorified as wise doctors, secretly taught picturesque words, filled with all intelligence and wisdom, who give knowledge to everyone.

In the Chetya-Menaion of Metropolitan Macarius there is a teaching in memory of the unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian (November 1), in which the theme is chosen from the daily Gospel: “What a teacher should be.” In its development there are such expressions: “The holy teachers healed the body with miracles, the soul with teaching. They come to them for miracles, and they come for teaching. Nothing else is more appropriate for a teacher than humility and non-acquisitiveness.” All this comes so close to the unmercenary saints. Of course, in ancient times this teaching was read in the temple. The people heard him and began to come to the holy unmercenaries not only “for the sake of miracles, but also for the sake of teaching.”

The Orthodox people, seeing on the icons, reading in their lives the legend about teaching them to read and write, hearing in churches that they give knowledge to everyone, could not help but come to the conclusion that they especially patronize students. And the grace of the holy unmercenaries is endless, as the Holy Church sings. They are not only wise doctors, but also wise mentors; Having helped everyone who comes to them in faith, can they refuse the children?

Finishing the description of the life of the holy unmercenaries like Asia, one cannot fail to mention the word of praise for them, which in ancient lists was placed after the description of their lives, and which, of course, was read in their memory during divine services. Its origin, as scientists think, is Russian because at the end it mentions the orthodox prince. It, after an ornate introduction, contains praise or magnification of the holy unmercenaries, presented in the form of an akathist, and at the end a prayerful appeal is made to them.