Belt as a talisman and ritual object. Protective prayer for the belt There is a cross tied in the belt, what does it mean?

In folk beliefs, a belt is a symbol of the road, the path through mythical and real obstacles (just like thread, yarn, fiber, rope, chain). A belt, as a part of a person’s clothing that takes the shape of a circle, is often used as a talisman. The belt has existed since very distant times, about which there is convincing archaeological and written evidence. In the 3rd century. BC e. Herodotus recorded a Scythian genealogical legend in the Black Sea region: Hercules left a belt and a bow as an inheritance to his sons. Only one son, Scythian, managed to draw this bow, and the inheritance went to him, the ancestor of the Scythian kings.

Samples of belts were found by archaeologists in burials and recorded in monuments visual arts. On all Scythian stone statues of the dead, a belt is certainly shown. On the monument near Dnepropetrovsk, a bow and mace are engraved at the belt, and on the monument of a Scythian warrior found in the Kuban - a dagger. The belt is engraved on a one and a half meter sculpture in Crimea and on a stone sculpture from Neolithic times in France.

Since the ancient times of human society, the belt has been considered as a kind of amulet, a magical object that promotes well-being and good luck. The people believed in the powerful power of the belt. This is evidenced by handwritten books of folk medicine, where the belt was considered as a talisman: “And against all damage and evil sorcerers, he wears a knitted belt on his naked body. And with this talisman, no witchcraft can work.”

More often, patterns are seen on belts - diamonds with hooks. Images of the tree goddess in embroidery are very often also diamond-shaped; the rhombus was given a magical property. As a symbol of fertility, the rhombus was associated with the magic of entering a new home, into outbuildings. Diamonds, circles, and swastikas had the meaning of amulets bringing fire, warmth, and life.

From the belt there is a whiff of ancient pagan times, when every task was accompanied by mysterious rituals and spells of the forces of nature. Turning to these forces, people sought their help and protection.

Believing in the magical significance of the belt, some brides gave away up to a hundred belts during the wedding and in the days before the wedding, and therefore some girls began preparing a dowry at the age of nine.

In the everyday life of Russian peasants, a belt was recognized as a talisman, which is also associated with girding a newborn during baptism. The born person received a talisman with which his whole life passed. The Old Believers, who have been preserving ancient Russian traditions for a longer time, attached ritual significance to the custom of wearing a belt until recently. The belt, worn at baptism on a naked body, was worn until death and was not even removed in the bathhouse. The attitude towards the belt as a magical object is also evidenced by the following fact, given in the article by G. S. Maslova. She writes that according to the stories of old-timers from the village of Zabore, Vologda province, their priest did not allow people to get married in a belted sundress. However, the bride still wore a belt underneath (under her sundress).

In the Smolensk province there was a ritual of entering a new house: the owner entered first, and pulled all family members into the house by the waist.

The belt was used in spells against illness. A person with a fever went into the forest, found an aspen tree, bowed to it and said: “Aspen, aspen, take my quagmire, give me health.” After which he tied the aspen with his belt. Similar ritual actions with a belt can be traced from materials from Russian villages bordering Belarusians and Ukrainians. Although over time the belt acquired a more utilitarian meaning, it continues to play a large role in folk fortune telling, rituals, in many conspiracies and as a talisman. People believed that it was possible to harm a person by performing various witchcraft actions over his belt. So, in the Vologda province, girls used their belts to tell fortunes about their betrothed: they tied a padlock to their belt at night, locked it, and put the key under their head with the words: betrothed - mummer, unlock me. In the Smolensk and Kaluga provinces under New Year housewives tied household and household items in pairs according to the sign: in the coming year, everything in the house will double, increase. Girls who wanted to get married looked in the forest for two aspen trees that could be tied with one belt; if they found them, they believed that their wishes for marriage would come true.

Belief in the magical significance of the belt had an undoubted place when giving belts during matchmaking and weddings. If the bride gave the belt to the groom, she no longer had the right to change her decision and refuse the groom. As a rule, the bride gave the groom a narrow woolen belt woven by her in red tones, or during matchmaking, a red belt in the form of a circle was placed on the floor in front of the bride, and if the bride agreed to the marriage, she jumped from the bench into the middle of the circle.

In Rus', the belt also served as a parental blessing and was passed down from generation to generation. In the museums of Tobolsk, Omsk, Chelyabinsk and other cities, belts and sashes were recorded that were made almost 200 years ago and transferred to museums by modern heirs.

The famous ethnographer A.O. Sukhareva reports very interesting data on the meaning of the belt in his book on Samarkand: “The girding of outer clothing symbolized readiness for service, for action.” Readiness for professional work meant the girding of the apprentice-artisan during the ritual of his initiation into a master. Over time, the scope of use of the belt expands. Even in the middle of the 20th century. A.O. Sukhareva observed how the shaman, starting to tell fortunes, girded himself.

In the everyday life and rituals of Russians, the belt has long been given great importance. It was considered extremely indecent for a man without a belt to be in public, in society. To unbelt a man meant to dishonor him. By removing the belt, the grandson of Dmitry Donskoy, Prince Vasily Kosoy (mid-15th century), was insulted at a feast, which served as a pretext for war.

The great importance attached to the belt is evidenced by apt folk expressions associated with the word “belt”. For example, “to loose one’s belt” means to lose one’s decency of behavior. According to Russian beliefs, walking without a belt was as “sinful” as walking without a cross. In Russian folklore, “without a cross, without a belt,” negative heroes appear.

Chronicles and other official sources of the 16th century. different versions are reported family drama Tsar Ivan the Terrible, which ended with the murder of his son. But they all agree that the reason that aroused the rage of the autocrat was the looseness of the prince’s wife, who dared to catch his eye “in just a simple shirt,” without a belt, with bare hair. Note: in this guise, Ivan the Terrible’s pregnant daughter-in-law found herself not somewhere in public, but in the women’s half of the tower.

Back in the middle of the 19th century. In some regions of Russia, the “rite” of reading patterns during the bride’s Epiphany viewing was preserved. A knowledgeable elderly woman showed the bride's products to the audience and explained the meaning of each pattern. The pattern on the belts is very complex, the ornaments of different colors seem to be nested inside one another.

But the ornament gradually turns into decoration. And at the bride shows, which in the 20th century. were preserved in a number of places, but were no longer carried out semantic reading ornaments on their products. It is no coincidence that the performer put so much imagination and skill into creating the belts. The belt has one of the leading places in folk rituals, especially in wedding ones.

According to the observations of researcher N.I. Lebedeva in 1926, in the villages of the Kollezh region, where they no longer wore poneva, the ritual associated with putting it on was transferred to “putting on a red belt.” This ritual was carried out before the bride went to the crown and without the presence of men. During this ceremony, the bride stood dressed in a wedding thin linen shirt, belted with a red woolen belt with tassels. The ritual of girding was accompanied by jokes, often of a modest nature.

Belarusians tied a belt around a child immediately after baptism; in Ukraine, when sending a deceased person out of the hut, relatives often tied a belt around the gate, “so that there would be no more dead people.” It was believed that a belted person was “afraid of the devil,” and neither a brownie nor a goblin would touch him. At the same time, removing the belt meant joining the other world, evil spirits, etc. Therefore, the belt was removed when obtaining a “fern flower” on the night of Ivan Kupala, when searching for treasure, during the performance of rituals against epidemics and the death of livestock, the same Northern Russian girls use this technique for fortune-telling: before going to bed, they put a belt under the pillow, saying: “Belt, my belt, show the groom and the train.” A belt specially woven in one day from the remains of flax, according to the belief of peasants from the Minsk province, allows the one wearing the belt to see the dead on Radunitsa. With the help of a belt, a connection is established between “one’s own” and “someone else’s” space, the old and the new home. Thus, among Belarusians, when moving to a new house, the owner pulls all family members inside the hut by a thread or belt, and when a young woman enters her husband’s house after a wedding, she throws her belt on the stove.

When the cattle are first driven into the field, Eastern Slavs it was customary to spread a belt, usually red, at the gate; it was also tied to the horns of a cow, placed in the bags of shepherds, etc. When buying livestock, they were led into the new house through the belt; in the Vladimir province at that moment they said: “Forget the old master, get used to the new one!” In the Russian North, on the eve of the first pasture of livestock, the housewife wove a belt from three linen threads, whispering: “As this braid is woven, so the dear little beast trudges to her yard, from track to track, from step to step. Don’t get lost anywhere, neither in the dark forests, nor in green meadows, not in open fields...” She wore this belt until the cattle pasture, when she took it off and buried it at the exit from the yard with the words: “As the belt held tightly and tightly around me, so tightly did the cow circle of firewood, hold on." When spreading the belt in front of the barn or the gate of the yard, they made sure that the cow “did not drag it with her feet,” since this promised misfortune on the way to the pasture. Magic properties belts are used in wedding rituals: a belt is tied around the bride or the bride and groom, a knot with the bride’s dowry, a pie for the groom after the first wedding night, a glass or bottle for the groom, etc. However, the power of the belt could be used in evil actions at the wedding. So, according to the beliefs of Poles and Belarusians, with the help of a twisted belt, the witch could “turn” the entire wedding train into wolves. In Slavic beliefs, the belt is a source of vitality, so it is often endowed with fertilizing and healing properties. Among the southern Slavs, childless women, in an effort to have offspring, put a priest's belt under their pillow or carry a piece of such a belt with them, girding themselves on St. George's Day; It is a common custom to gird churches with thread, yarn, etc. In the Tambov province, in order to win over a young woman for the birth of children, a boy was placed on her lap, she kissed him and gave him a “girl’s belt.”

When the deceased was buried, the belt was usually unfastened so as not to prevent the soul from finally leaving the body and going on the afterlife. If this is not done, the dead person, it was believed, would not find peace and could, what good, get into the habit of getting up at night!

Types of belts.

In the old days, the belt was a kind of insignia and a necessary element men's clothing. It was worn by nobles and peasants, but the cost of it depended on the condition, rank and position of the person important element in a man's clothes.

With the expansion of trade relations with the countries of the East, magnificent oriental belts began to appear in Europe along with precious fabrics, porcelain, lacquer and bone products. They were hand woven from gold and silver threads. The half-meter width of the belt and the length of up to 4.5 meters made it possible to fold it in half, wrap it twice around the waist on top of a kutnul or caftan and tie it just below the stomach, letting the ends down. This is how famous nobles in Poland and boyars in Russia wore belts.

Through Constantinople and Lvov, belts were brought to Ukraine, Belarus and Poland from Asia Minor, Syria and Persia, which were called after the place of production from Angara, Brus, Martsifun, Aleppo, Ipoganni - Angora, Brus, marzipan, Aleppo, Ipogan. Their cost ranged from 12 to 1500 gold rubles. The price at that time was enormous, affordable only to a very wealthy person.

Slavic women wore woven and knitted belts. They were almost not preserved in the ground, so archaeologists believed for a very long time that women’s clothes were not girded at all. However, at the waist of women, the undershirt was picked up by a thin belt, which in pre-Christian times served as a “talisman”, the same as lace and embroidery.

But belts have been one of the most important symbols of male prestige since ancient times - women never wore them. Let us not forget that almost every free adult man was potentially a warrior, and the belt was considered perhaps the main sign of military dignity. IN Western Europe a full-fledged knight was called “belted”; the belt was included in the attributes of knighthood on a par with spurs. And in Rus' there was an expression “to deprive (remove) the belt,” which meant “to deprive military rank". It is curious that later it was applied not only to guilty soldiers, but also to priests who were defrocked.

The belt was also called “girdling” or “loin.” A man's leather belt was usually 1.5 - 2 cm wide, had a metal buckle and tip, and sometimes it was completely covered with patterned plaques - using them it was possible to restore the structure of the belt. The Slavic man had not yet turned into the downtrodden peasant of later times, belted with a washcloth. He was a proud, dignified man, a defender of his family, and his entire appearance, primarily his belt, should have spoken of this.

It is interesting that the belt sets of “peaceful” men changed from tribe to tribe: for example, the Vyatichi preferred lyre-shaped buckles. But the belts of professional warriors, members of squads, were then almost the same throughout Eastern Europe. Scientists see this as evidence of broad ties between peoples and a certain similarity in the military customs of different tribes; there is even a term - “druzhina culture.”

Belts made from wild aurochs leather were especially famous. They tried to get a strip of leather for such a belt directly during the hunt, when the animal had already received a mortal wound, but had not yet given up the ghost. One must think that these belts were quite a rarity; the powerful and fearless forest bulls were very dangerous.

It was from tur leather that military belts were made, because hunting for aurochs was equated to a duel with an armed enemy, and, perhaps, the aurochs, dedicated to the God of Thunder, was a kind of military “totem”. However, there was a belief that such belts helped women in labor well. By the way, the Goddess giving birth is depicted on the plaques of a belt found along with the antiquities of one of the Finno-Ugric peoples - neighbors of the Slavs. Scientists believe that this belt had a ritual purpose.

A collection of belts in the State Hermitage made it possible to find out that the Scythian belt consisted of three layers of leather belt with sewn metal plates (usually bronze). There is evidence that Scythian women who performed men's work wore a belt.

In Slavic burial mounds of the 10th-13th centuries, which belonged to the rural population - "smerds", narrow leather belts with a copper buckle are found in burials.

Both men and women hung a variety of improvised objects from their belts: knives in sheaths, chairs, keys. In Scandinavia, a bunch of keys at the belt was a kind of symbol of the power of a housewife, and Slavic and Finnish women always had a needle case - a small case for needles - as an attribute. It was not uncommon to explain a handbag (bag) for various small items, it was called a “pocket”. Historians write that sewing (or fastening) pockets directly to clothing began much later. But now belt pockets, comfortable and invisible under outerwear, have returned to our everyday life.

Since ancient times, the belt has been the keeper of the “wicket”, i.e. wallet: weapons were stored on the belt and behind the belt. This long-standing tradition reached the 20th century. in a more expanded version. In addition to the wallet and weapons, a knife and a bag of tobacco were attached to the belt, and the coachmen tucked the whip or whip into the belt. Women had a pocket attached to their belt, in which keys to pantries, chests and treats for children were kept, which is why over time such a pocket was called “gourmet”.

Women wore a long belt (sometimes up to five meters) with maid clothes, wrapping it several times around the waist. In the Russian villages of Trans-Baikal region, the belt tightly covered the waist and its ends were hidden behind the belt in both everyday and festive clothing ensembles. In the Transbaikal version, the belt was a necessary part of the clothing; it completed it, but was not displayed, although it was decorated with traditional rhombuses and hooks during manufacture. In other regions, the belt is both for men and women's clothing was a noticeable decoration of the costume ensemble.

In the Russian villages of the Tobol region, the belt in the festive ensemble of clothes was put on display and therefore the ends of the belt, hanging down, were abundantly decorated with tassels and pompoms - “kititsa”, “kutas” made of multi-colored garus wool, beads, bugles, silver or gold thread.

In the upper classes, belts had a large material value according to its material and finish. In the spiritual letter of Dmitry Donskoy there is a list of different belts that he passed on to his sons. At the same time, the features of the belts were reported: for example, “with a wicket,” that is, with a wallet.

The spiritual letter of Dmitry Donskoy mentions the names of the craftsmen who made the princely belts.

Researchers have traced the production of belts in Rus' since the 13th century. In addition to locally produced belts, there were imported oriental (Iranian, Persian) sashes. The sashes, both locally made and imported, were silk and expensive. In the 16th-17th centuries. Such sashes were used to girdle the prince's outer clothing. In the 18th century Due to changes in fashion in the clothing of the upper classes, silk sashes were used exclusively among the merchants and wealthy peasantry. The Moscow manufactory, taking into account the change in demand, began to produce sashes designed for a relatively wide consumer - cheaper ones.

Belts in Rus' were made from the most different materials. The ruling class could have belts forged from noble metal - gold and silver, with expensive stones; leather, with all sorts of decorations, plates, like the Scythian ones, and woven silk sashes with gold and silver thread. Such belts and sashes are not typical for use in the folk sphere.

Material and appearance the belt depended on its purpose, on the class and property status of the owner. Among the people, belts made of linen and wool yarn were common - knitted, woven, braided, less often - silk woven, factory-made wicker.

In every peasant household, belts for women and men were made for everyday use and for holidays.

Over time, the scope of use of the belt in the ritual sphere expands and at some stage the belt and towel come into contact as magical objects, as amulets. In the Smolensk province there was a belief that sheep would return home from pasture together if

when turning them out for the first time after winter, lay out a belt and a towel on the threshold of the sheepfold, along which they will walk to the pasture. In the Russian villages of the Sumka region, when the newlyweds were laid on the bed on their wedding night, the groom tied their legs with a belt - “so that they could live together,” and in the Russian villages of the Kharkov region - with a towel.

After the baptism ceremony, the mother of the newborn, as a sign of prettiness, gave gifts to the godfather and godfather - each was given a cake, wrapped in a towel and tied with a woolen belt. In some Russian villages bordering Belarus, a belt and a towel were placed under the feet of the newlyweds during the wedding. And among other peoples, the belt was seen as equivalent amulets and talismans.

All about religion and faith - “protective prayer for the belt” with detailed description and photographs.

"Live help". Psalm 90 and belts with texts of prayers in the Russian folk tradition(abbr.)

Nowadays, in the church and near-church environment, the practice of wearing belts (ribbons) with the text of the 90th Psalm (“Alive in the help of the Most High.”) has become somewhat widespread. You can also hear from parishioners and “parishioners” that the rewritten or printed on paper “ miraculous prayer» "live help" ( popular name Psalm 90) must be carried with you at all times or sewn to clothing.

However, it is important to note that such an “application” of Psalm 90 is rooted not in church traditions, but in folk rituals.

In folk beliefs, wearing a belt, braid, threads with knots tied has a magical protective meaning. The Eastern Slavs had a widespread belief in healing power“nauzs” (knots) – various “imposed” amulets. Mythopoetic consciousness sees the main resistance and protection against all bonds and shackles of sorcery. in material impositions or sciences, also endowed with magical power, which. a person, with conventional spells and rituals, imposed on himself on different parts of his body

The process of tying is a process of overcoming, of using the power of one person to destroy the power of another; this process is magical: a thread is tied around a sick person, therefore the disease is tied up, the person is tied up - the disease is tied up, the thread is removed from the person, and the disease is removed with it; the thread is thrown, buried in the ground, placed in the hole of a tree, which is then clogged, and the associated disease is thrown with the thread and buried in the ground.

To make it clear that the disease is developing, knots are tied on the thread removed from the patient. Magical meaning tying is transmitted to both threads and knots. Hence, every knot in itself already represents something magical, magical and serves as a source of magical influence. Wearing a thread, lace, belt, braid, strip of leather tied in a knot is in itself important, since these items have protective significance. »

Since ancient times, in rituals and everyday life, the belt has been considered as a very strong amulet, bringing well-being and health to its owner. A belt made of thin woven mesh, where the tying of each knot was accompanied by the reading of a specific prayer, was worn on a naked body. In the popular belief, wearing a belt (as well as a pectoral cross) protected a person from the influence of evil spirits, sorcerers and the diseases and “damage” they caused. And such methods of “treating” diseases or “protecting against damage,” such as tying a thread (often red wool) on the arms, legs, lower back, or tying knots, are found among superstitious people even today.

Condemning the use of “nauzs,” the Russian Church followed the example of the Byzantine Church. Amulets and talismans of all kinds were ubiquitous throughout the Byzantine Empire. Their use was repeatedly condemned in the teachings of the holy fathers and in the decrees of the Councils. Canon 36 of the Council of Laodicea (IV century) prohibits the “preservatives” with which superstitious Christians bandaged themselves during illness. sore spot on the body or constantly worn around the neck. The Fathers of the Council call these “preservations” the shackles of the soul. The confusion of Christian concepts with pagan ones (“demonic witchcraft”) was interpreted by the Church “as a particularly grave sin leading to profanation of the sacred and blasphemy.”

Although after the adoption of Christianity, along with pagan symbols or instead of it, Christian concepts, symbols, prayers, etc. began to be used in witchcraft practice and in folk rituals in general, the magical essence of this or that pagan rite did not change. One example of this is the appearance of the so-called amulet.

At the beginning of the 20th century. A.V. Balov wrote: “Wearing amulets and talismans is very common. Most often they wear amulet around the neck. Wearing. incense is considered by peasants to be a means of protecting a person from all evil in general, and in particular from various diseases.” Ladanka (palm) was usually understood as a small fabric bag, into which they sewed up a piece of incense (for example, taken from some especially revered local icon), as well as other objects (shed skin of a snake, etc.), which, according to popular beliefs, had the ability to cure diseases or prevent their occurrence. So, after the sacrament of baptism was performed, the child was put on an amulet “for health”, into which the grandmother sewed up an umbilical cord, a grain of wheat and three pieces of dewy incense. They believed that incense itself instills panic in the minds of evil spirits and sorcerers. A piece of paper with the text of some prayer (for example, the so-called “Sunday prayer,” that is, “May God rise again.”) or a conspiracy (usually for fever) was often simply sewn into the amulet. Incenses were worn on the neck gaitan, next to the pectoral cross.

This kind of “incense” was classified as amulets in the works of both secular and ecclesiastical researchers. Metropolitan of Kiev Evgeniy (Bolkhovitinov) wrote: “As can be seen in our Helmsman’s Book. workers and givers. amulets are called uzolniks, because among the common people these amulets are made up of uzolki, or the so-called amulet.”

Belts with texts of prayers also had a protective character similar to amulet amulet.

“Since the belt itself has always been perceived as a powerful amulet, it was natural to supplement it with signs that also carry the meaning of amulets. At first these were ornamental elements that were familiar to everyone and therefore easy to read.” The main significance of amulets was given to rhombuses, circles and swastikas. Sometimes, in their complex combination, the elements of the ornament formed a whole story. Later, when the language of the ornament was forgotten, the patterns began to be supplemented with inscriptions. Since the 18th century, belts and girdles with inscriptions - “with words” - began to spread widely. The initials and names of the owners, poetic and gift formulas (“Whom I love, I give”, “I give to the one who is dear to my heart”), as well as texts of prayers were embroidered on the belts.

The pseudo-Orthodox “Prayer Shield” that is widespread these days

Orthodox Christian" (including such examples of folklore as the "prayer of detention"), gives, in particular, the advice to "wear a consecrated belt (it’s good if the priest himself reads the prayer and ties it on you)." But when reading such recommendations, the question arises: will the ritual of tying a belt, pagan in its essence and purpose (to give a person magical protection without requiring him to make spiritual efforts in prayer and repentance), become acceptable from the point of view of Orthodoxy only because it is performed by a priest.

The belief in the protective power of belts with prayer texts should be considered as a special case of superstitious ideas about the “protective” functions of belts in general. The significance that, as we have seen, was and still is given by the people to the so-called “security” belts with the text of the 90th Psalm, allows us to classify them as “safeguards” prohibited by the 36th rule of the Council of Laodicea.

We do not mean that the practice of carrying a prayer, psalm, or icon with you is in principle reprehensible. Magism would consist in the belief that wearing an object (say, an icon or the text of a prayer) has a protective power in itself, regardless of the person’s behavior. In other words, free appeal to God, a person’s personal effort in prayer becomes unnecessary.

In the case we are considering, we note the fact that since the prayer or psalm carried with you is not read (they, in essence, are not intended to be read at all), their text becomes unimportant and is sharply distorted among the people. Instead of the words “Alive to help”, “living help”, “living to help” and even “living relics” appear. At the same time, according to the observation of Andrei Desnitsky, in the common folk variations on the theme of the 90th Psalm, “it was not the vague words and expressions, like “asp and basilisk” (due to incomprehensibility, they are left as they are), but those that seemed , almost no different from Russians. “Live in the help of Vyshnyago” turns into “live help” (by analogy with “ambulance”, obviously), or into anecdotal “live help”. “A thousand will fall from your country” is replaced by “a thousand will fall from your arrow,” and the meaning of the statement changes radically: instead of the image of a righteous man remaining unharmed in the midst of universal disaster, we see a superman killing a thousand enemies with one arrow.” Thus, the distortions indicate not only the incomprehensibility of the Church Slavonic text of the psalm, but also its active involvement in magical practice, which is accompanied by the reworking of the original text in accordance with the requirements of mythological thinking.

Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev, regarding the belief in the exceptional “protective power” of Psalm 90, notes: “It is not man who protects himself from “horrors in the night” by splashing holy water around and hanging talismans everywhere. The Lord protects those who place their hope in Him. And this psalm itself will not protect anyone from anything. Protection does not lie in carrying it in your pocket, tying it to a lintel, or tying it around your waist. It is not the psalm that protects, but the Lord - if a person believes in God as the Lord (that is, in the fact that it is God’s will, and not witchcraft, that determines the course of events in his life and dominates it), in His protection, in His power (and not in the power of a belt, a piece of paper or your own prayer-spell). What is the condition for the Lord to give such protection? “It’s just a person’s faith in her.” “For you have said: The Lord is my hope.” And this turning of the heart to God is enough for protection. What follows is determined only by the will of two: the will of God and the will of man (will he not renounce the Covenant, turning towards paganism?). The desires of everyone else: enemies, sorcerers, pagans, demons - are already powerless here.”

Alive in Help (belt and prayer)

Psalm 90 is especially loved by all Orthodox Christians. Many even? they dare not start their day without reading it. And for good reason, I think. A person reading this psalm is under special protection and grace

Let's say right away: wearing this belt is not necessary for Orthodox Christian– how it is obligatory to wear a cross. But by reverently, prayerfully tying this belt on our body, we thereby seem to be hiding behind a powerful shield, protecting us from attack by enemy forces. After all, the 90th Psalm itself (the prayer “Alive in Help...”) is read separately from the 12th Kathisma during times of disaster and enemy attacks.

At all times, Christians have resorted to this prayer of David in days of difficult trials and troubles. Mothers and wives, seeing off their loved ones to war, wore a belt with this prayer or put a piece of paper with a handwritten psalm in a secret pocket, believing that the prayer would protect

not only “from the arrow that flies in the days,” but also from bullets and shells. And thanks to this, how many warriors returned home from the hottest battles without a single scratch! Prayer saved...

And in Peaceful time We are all on the field of invisible battle with the enemy of the human race. This means that a belt with a prayer will not be superfluous. Especially when it comes to a child. Orthodox children usually happily put on a prayer belt and kiss the image of the cross on it. It's good if you buy a silk or satin belt: they are more durable and will last longer.

The belt with the 90th Psalm is worn under a dress or shirt. It’s good when a priest puts such a belt on a layman - there is such a tradition in Rus'. Now there are trouser belts with this prayer and a cross on the buckle; they can be worn instead of a belt. You should treat your belt like any sacred object with care. And of course, we must remember that not only the consecrated object itself (in this case, the belt) protects a person, but also his own prayerful work. Before putting on your belt, try to read Psalm 90. Many believers learn the prayer “Alive in Help” by heart and repeat it repeatedly throughout the day, calling on the All-Merciful God to help them.

“He who lives in the help of the Most High will dwell in the shelter of the Heavenly God, says to the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver me from the snare of the trap, and from rebellious words: His lashes will overshadow you, and you trust under His wing: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in darkness, from the cloak and demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will be at your right hand, but it will not come close to you: behold your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope: You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you, and wound will not approach your body: as His Angel commanded you, keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot on a stone: you step on an asp and a basilisk, and cross a lion and a serpent. Because I have a catch, I will deliver you, and I will cover you, because you have known My name. He will call to Me, and I will hear him: I am with him in sorrow, I will exorcise him, and I will glorify him: I will fill him with long days, and I will show him My salvation.”

Prayer protects against any trouble

Every person who feels bad begins to call his mother. Powerful Prayer- the amulet will help you in any trouble; when you or your loved ones are in complete despair and the situation seems hopeless to him, then it is best to turn to God and ask him for help.

“Living Help” - a protective prayer to protect you from any trouble and misfortune: it will always protect and help you and your family

The strongest Orthodox protective prayer “Living Help”

Psalm 90 is also commonly called “Living Help”; it has incredibly great power, which helps protect you from everything evil, from bad people and enemies. It also helps against damage, the evil eye, witchcraft, and violence.

This psalm established itself as the best protection against evil and disease; it was embroidered on belts and worn. Thus, the owner of the belt attracted good luck, was healed and repelled illnesses. He is highly valued by military and law enforcement officials. In addition, truck drivers read it; it is believed that this psalm is very helpful on the road.

Text of the prayer “Alive in Help” in Russian

He who lives under the shelter of the Most High rests in the shadow of the Almighty.

He says to the Lord: You are my refuge and my defense,

My God, in whom I trust!

He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive plague.

He will overshadow you with his wings and under his wings

You will be safe; His shield and hedge are His truth.

You will not be afraid of the terrors in the night, the arrow that flies during the day, or the plague that walks in the darkness. infection that devastates at noon.

A thousand and ten thousand will fall near you, but they will not come close to you.

Only you will look with your eyes and see the retribution of the wicked.

For you said: The Lord is my hope.

You have chosen the Almighty as your refuge.

No evil will befall you and no plague will come near your dwelling,

For He will command His angels about you - to guard you in all your ways.

They will carry you on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the asp and the basilisk, you will trample on the lion and the serpent.

Because he loved Me, I will deliver him, I will protect him, because he knew My name.

He will call to Me and I will hear him; I am with him in his sorrow and will show him My salvation.

What can this prayer protect from?

As mentioned above, the amulet prayer is very strong and powerful. Capable of protecting from many troubles. Now let's look at them in more detail.

A strong prayer amulet will help protect yourself and your loved ones from any troubles.

There is evidence that prayer works when natural disasters and protects people.

Any troubles and all kinds of dangers that may arise during the day will bypass a person. And in case of visiting unfamiliar or unfamiliar places, a person will not encounter troubles, dangers and misfortune.

The important point is that prayer is very effective if a person is seriously ill. With its help, you can get rid of anger, pride, which devours, doubts and stop being afraid for yourself and for your loved ones.

Facts about Psalm 91

Many eyewitnesses testify that the power of prayer is actually effective and miraculous. If we take history, then during the Second World War, soldiers, together with their commander, read a prayer every day. Every day they studied it from memory. Then they brought it into the subconscious. Ultimately, they did not lose any of their fighters, everyone remained alive and well.

A strong prayer is a talisman, real facts from history: at approximately the same time, at a weaving factory there was a worker who, secretly from everyone, sewed the text of a prayer into a military uniform, inside. Naturally, these clothes were sent to the front. The death toll was significantly lower. And those who had such prayers in the belt area went through the entire war without a single wound or damage.

The Internet now often disseminates various news and facts. Having gone there, you can find an interesting review in which it is written that the wife of one unbelieving husband sewed a prayer into the amulet around her neck. And what happened? When the plane crash happened, he remained alive and unharmed. The plane was badly damaged; it was half broken. And the man, in some marvelous way, remained fastened in the chair in which he was sitting and when he fell, he got stuck in the branches. This saved him, as it softened his fall.

How to read the amulet prayer?

• It is believed that it is necessary to read “Alive in Help” 40 times in a row. Although these are most likely prejudices, this time will be enough for the Lord.

Peter and Fevronia

If you have any questions or need help with the current life situation, you can consult our experts.

The first dwelling for people was an ordinary cave. Man found cavities in rocks, made caves in earthen ramparts, pursuing one goal - to create a shelter.

Why was all this done? The word shelter itself speaks for itself. People were looking for a place that could protect them from bad weather or other danger. We observed the behavior of animals and weather conditions. They compared the data and came to certain conclusions, using them for their benefit. This is how people got amulets. A talisman - a symbol, sound, smell, prayer, drawing - all this not only brings happiness to the house, but also protects the owner and his home.

Rules for making amulets

Since ancient times, every event a natural phenomenon and action, the person inspired and believed that if the spirit was appeased, then it would protect him and guide him on the right path. But how will the spirit guess that it has been appeased? For this purpose, the owner wore amulets and placed them in the house. When making a talisman, everyone must remember several rules.

• You cannot make a talisman for yourself.
• You cannot be forced to make amulets.
• It is necessary to treat the manufacturing material carefully. The material must
• must be suitable for the person for whom it is made.
• A talisman made by a blood relative has stronger properties. When making a talisman, you must definitely think about the person to whom you are going to present it.
• Thoughts must be positive, otherwise the amulet will become a source of misfortune.

If these rules were violated, then the amulet lost its magical power. Among the Slavs, work was divided into women's and men's. Accordingly, there were amulets for both women and men. Men wore amulets on brooches, body amulets, pendants with amulets and bracelets.

Fibulae were decorated with solar signs. The solar sign is a kind of cross with curved ends directed both clockwise and counterclockwise. The cross always described a circle or was placed in a circle. The circle is a Slavic sign denoting the entire Universe. Why a circle? It was believed that everything in the universe is interconnected and closed like a circle. Since men's work was almost always associated with weapons - wars, hunting - amulets were also associated with these events.

Amulet and its meaning

The Slavic amulet “Alatyr” is one of the oldest and root signs. The symbol depicted on it resembles an octagonal star indicating the direction of the cardinal points. The star indicates perfection and therefore stands at the so-called foundation of the whole world.

Men's amulet

It was this amulet that gave rise to the ritual of sacrifice. “Alatyr” symbolizes wisdom, so most often it could be found on the clothes of sorcerers and travelers. This amulet is also the main sacred sign. In order to determine a male or female amulet, you need to look at the cross. For men, the cross is straight, and for women, it is oblique.

Belobog

The Belobog amulet is a symbol of daylight and clear spring skies. To the Slavs, Belobog was depicted as an old man dressed in white clothes with a staff. The ancestors believed that he was identified with the collection of laws of the universe. Another version is Belobog - the embodiment of all the supreme gods (Perun, Svarog, Lada). The sign of Belobog was depicted on men who were distinguished by courage and pride.

“And everyone who serves him faithfully will fully feel the foresight and care, comparable to a father’s, of their Great Commander - Belobog.”

Valkyrie

Valkyrie is the daughter of one of the most experienced and glorious warriors. She picked up dead warriors from the battlefield on her winged horse. Valkyries were also credited with the ability to control the outcome of battles and battles. The one who wore the sign of the personification of the Valkyrie, according to legend, was under strong protection in battle and remained alive. The sign reminds us that everything in the world is interconnected and the four elements fire, earth, air and water form a single whole. Likewise, a person must have four qualities: wisdom, justice, nobility and honesty. The owner of the sign became stronger and more powerful in battle. This sign was often applied to weapons. Such weapons hit the enemy with lightning speed.

Wooden amulet – Valkyrie

Thunderstorm is the lord of fire and a protector from bad weather. An amulet made of oak or pine had excellent properties. The thunderstorm will have a powerful energy force if it is made of silver. Silver is a metal that appeared in the forge of Svarog himself. Therefore, Grozovik is also the patron of blacksmiths. It was worn by blacksmiths who created strong weapons. It spoke of the purity of consciousness and good intentions of the owner. There is also a second name - Solstice.

The “Ratiborets” amulet, a truly masculine amulet, was depicted mainly on the banners and weapons of the squad. “Ratiborets” blinded the enemy and forced them to flee from the battlefield. The amulet was intended for men who stood guard over the Motherland and delivered them from enemies, both external and internal.

“Rodimych” among the Slavic tribes, this sign was worn by strong men of their clan. If you look closely, you can see distinctive features male belongings. Angular design with straight lines and no rounding, which is typical for women's jewelry. People who wore such an insignia were called protectors of the sacred circle. The sacred circle of the Slavic peoples included family, home and hearth.

The ax of Perun is a Slavic talisman of military energy. According to some historians, the supreme god wielded such weapons when it came to a fair fight. The amulet was suitable for men who were purposeful, stubborn and persistent. The presence of such a talisman among warriors contributed to protection from arrows. Among other things, it protected its owner from dark forces and conspiracies. After all, the warrior is protected and has the patronage of Perun himself. Those born under the sign of the god Perun enjoyed double success and unprecedented power.

Men's bracelets and their purpose

In addition to brooches with ornaments, Slavic men's accessories also included bracelets. In ancient times, it was fashionable for a man to wear clothes and dresses with wide sleeves. Thanks to such sleeves, the whole body could breathe, which brought comfort to the wearer. But all sorts of evil spirits could seep through those same sleeves. To protect men from evil spirits, bracelets were made, on which signs and drawings of a protective and healing nature were applied.

The sign Grozovik-Gromovik was often applied to bracelets. According to legends and legends, such a drawing called for the protection of Perun. Those to whom Perun appeared visually were told that this very ornament was depicted on the shield of the glorious husband.

Men's Slavic bracelets

The “Fern Color” amulet gave the owner extraordinary strength and intuition. The ability to use Spiritual powers and seek out gifts from the earth. The wish-fulfilling sign was often depicted on bracelets and chest talismans were created with the image of the Color of Perun.

Boys and teenagers had the “Fire Eye” sign on their bracelets. This sign helped to absorb knowledge, develop reactions and master weapons. The sign also became a barrier in the event of the evil eye and envy. The energetic aura emitted by the pattern prevented negative energy from getting closer to the owner. The amulet had two-way power. It not only repelled negativity, but also prevented the owner from emitting negativity from himself, guiding him on the true path. The “fire eye” was inscribed with a “radinets” ornament, which enhanced the energy shield of the bracelet.

An amulet with the image of the sign “Svarog” endowed the owner with wisdom. Pointed to the right path in solving problems of various kinds. Taught teenagers to be fair. The owner felt the support of God and the successful completion of all endeavors.

Experienced warriors and princes, elders and sages had images of several signs on their bracelets - a cup amulet. The drawing included several signs of different meanings. The owner of such things could simultaneously:

• protect yourself from the evil eye and attacks of evil spells;
• acquire skills of fairness and diplomatic conduct of business;
• the ability to self-heal and destroy diseases;
• the destructive effects of destructive dark forces;
• increase the power of government;
• increase vitality;
• blessing for doing good deeds.

Belt – accessory or amulet?

A belt is an integral part of every self-respecting Slavic man. Daggers and swords were attached to belts. The belts were painted with spells. Among the Slavs it was considered indecent or in bad taste to walk without a belt. A belted man is afraid of evil spirits. If it was absent on a person, then he was considered a sorcerer or one of the personifications of evil spirits. The belt was equated to a talisman. They considered him the source of life. The belt was worn on the most vulnerable human place - the stomach.

Leather was used to make belts, but the marks were applied with threads. The threads used were cotton, wool and linen. Moreover, it was very important what threads were used. Cotton threads were used to embroider patterns that protected against spells and the evil eye, love spells and damage. In case of illness or lapels, they wore belts embroidered with woolen thread. Maple thread was used and combined to create amulets on the belts of warriors. The maple thread created patterns of peaceful action.

Whatever the male amulet, it was always made by a wife, mother or daughter. Warriors went to war with several amulets made for them by relatives. The Slavs attached great importance to talismans and amulets, as well as other protective signs. If a warrior was killed, then all the troubles were blamed on negligence in making a protective amulet.

Everyone has at least one in their wardrobe belt or belt. And many fashionistas and fashionistas also have different belts in their collection of outfits - embroidered, with stones and rhinestones, with chains, studs and other decoration elements.
And belts, for your information, for the most part are not just a necessary attribute and decoration, but also a talisman. Let’s talk about this mission of theirs, about all the meanings and signs associated with straps and belts, how they were made and how our ancestors wore them.

Belt for luck

Few people use the saying “Tie a belt for good luck.” More and more people remember him not with the best side: “Tighten your belts,” hinting at austerity.

And there is another proverb, with the meaning: “It takes a beggar a long time to get dressed, just to gird himself,” and it doesn’t matter whether he has shoes and a shirt. And they tied it up for happiness, and not with the thought of poverty. Even if the poor man has nothing, the main thing is that he is tied up belt - amulet and protector.

Our ancestors believed that the belt fastens the life principle at the waist, and the belly itself means “life.” That is why the straps and belts were especially carefully decorated with embroidery, beads, and, for those who were wealthy enough, with precious stones.

Belts were made for love, for luck, for happiness, belts for warriors so that they would return home healthy and with victory, belts for travelers. And everyone should have their own belt, belt. You can’t gird yourself to strangers - that meant taking the past owner’s troubles upon yourself.

Belts were also called sashes, belts. These were worn only over clothing. But there are also belts that were worn directly on the body, more on that below.

Belt as a gift

Gift belts were usually made with one’s own hand, with wishes for the future owner of the gift included in the work. The belt was not given as a gift bad people, which means this gift has always been appreciated.

Particular respect was expressed with such a gift to parents, superiors or a loved one.

• As a sign of reconciliation or improvement of relations with relatives, belts were woven from threads of lilac, silver, blue and purple shades.
• For present or future partners, belts made of expensive fabric or leather, with a silver or black buckle, were presented as a gift; blue shades were also allowed.
• A belt for a lover should be the color of love and passion, juicy like a cherry, with white and scarlet weaves. Such a belt must be tied around the waist of your loved one at the time of delivery.
• You can give a belt in purple and white tones to a person who seeks to subjugate you, or someone else. It is believed that the character and desire to rule will soften a little.

A belt is not an easy gift, but a gift that requires gratitude in return. Tying a knot on the stomach with a gifted belt already signified reciprocity at the energy level.
If such a gift is not accepted, draw a conclusion: the relationship will not work out... They don’t want to “get involved” with you.

Be attentive to such a gift - because through it not only love and respect are conveyed, but also programming to submit to your will, to live a lonely life. Therefore, never accept very thick, hard or plain leather belts, or from very dense fabric.

Signs associated with belts

It was customary to carefully monitor the belt, to prevent fraying to holes, seams coming apart, and damage to the pattern.

There were signs about damage to belts and straps, and depending on the situation, this could mean:

• If the belt tore directly on a person, this spoke of impending health problems, even death. To protect himself, this man had to leave worldly affairs, become a pilgrim, pray a lot and help the poor by giving alms.
• If a hole suddenly appeared on a belt or belt, the threads burst, jewelry fell off, or the buckle fell off, financial losses should be expected.

To reduce the strength negative impact of the above signs, the owners of the straps had to burn them and bury the jewelry from the belt deep in a deserted place.

• A belt that disappeared (was lost, or was stolen or forgotten somewhere) could no longer be worn if it were suddenly found. No matter how expensive and beautiful it was, such a sign indicated the direct energetic influence of dark forces.
• Ripping a belt off a person was considered a very strong insult. In such cases, you need to be able to snatch the belt from the hands of the offender and try to spank him at least once. Then such a belt was hidden in a dark place for forty days, after which it was consecrated in the church.

These are the serious signs associated with wearing belts and belts. Therefore, they tied them up tightly and looked after them regularly.

Which belt is best to buy?

The straps should be flexible and soft. Of course, color also matters when choosing.
As already written above, it is not advisable to accept or buy plain and rigid belts as a gift.

You need to be especially careful when choosing a white belt. Without suspecting anything, when choosing such a decoration attribute, a person may be under the influence of someone else’s will.
White belt symbolizes the willingness to give up something in your life for something else. And this will not always be justified. To avoid such interference from outside forces, you should sew an orange thread into such a belt if you absolutely cannot refuse such a purchase.

Depending on the color, the belt symbolizes health, youth, victory etc.
And everyone chooses the color that enhances or contributes to the development of the qualities necessary for the owner of the belt.

Most the best option — make your own belt.

• To preserve youth, a thin belt is woven from four delicate and thin threads of green, red, black and gold (yellow). You can weave in any available way, but the more interesting the pattern, the better. This braid is worn without removing it, directly on the body.
• To restore and maintain health, belts are woven from white and green threads. They should also be worn on the body. You can weave bracelets for legs, arms, and a hair garter.

As you know, every shade of color carries an information program, sometimes very strong. Therefore, do not use bright, acidic shades.

It is allowed in any variant, the main thing is that it has an aesthetic appearance. The belts can be stored all together, even after they have “worked out” their program.

A belt, a belt, only works on the human body, and it (the belt) also needs to be given time to rest.

While girding yourself, say, depending on the upcoming event. For example, if you are going on vacation, wish for a good road, pleasant fellow travelers... etc., everything in a similar vein.

The belt knows what its owner wants, and it does it.

You can believe or not believe in power folk signs, but we can’t reject it either...

All pictures are taken from the Internet and are available for free download. Thanks to the authors

The circle, so clearly embodied in the belt, was considered in all cultures of the world to be an ideal shape, inaccessible to evil spirits. According to popular belief different countries, in the belt, as in any circle, was the power that resisted all evil spirits and diseases. In contrast to the special shamanic girdle, any belt worn daily acted as a talisman belt, and each girder, according to his faith, endowed it with the power of a talisman.

The belt was used in conspiracies to preserve health. With the help of the belt, they sought to expel the disease or transmit it.

In the canonical Hindu collection “Atharvaveda” (1st millennium BC) there is a conspiracy to long life, addressed to the belt: “O belt, put thought and wisdom into us!.. Hug me for longevity, oh belt!”
In Rus', a person with fever was advised to go into the forest, find an aspen tree, bow to it and say: “Aspen, aspen, take my quagmire, give me relief,” and tie it with your belt.

According to popular beliefs, with the help of a belt, like a magic circle, one could protect oneself from evil spirits.

According to Russian folk belief, “the devil is afraid of a belted man, and the devil will not lead him into the forest,” therefore, when setting out on a journey, a craftsman or merchant must put on a belt.
In Russia in the 18th century, common folk medical books. In one of them it is written: “And from all sorcerers and from all damage they wear a knitted belt on their naked body. And with this talisman no witchcraft can work.”
In Polesie (Zhitomir region) it was believed that witches could be caught like a lasso using a consecrated belt.
The red belt, given by the wife to her husband, protected him from the evil eye, slander and love spells of other women.
In the 19th century, in the Shenkursky district of the Arkhangelsk province, it was believed that the belt could protect a widow from the harassment of evil spirits who would want to visit her in the guise of her late husband.
Among the Amur peoples, a recently widowed woman wore a belt made from a fishing net in order to protect herself from the evil spirit that brought the death of her husband.
In Komi, when a stranger entered the house, all boys had to wear a belt. If any of them found themselves without a belt, then immediately after the visitor left, the child’s mother performed cleansing rituals.

IN folk traditions from different countries, with the help of a belt, they established the boundary between their own and someone else’s and symbolically attracted goodness to home.

In Belarus, the head of the family was the first to enter the new house, and then pulled everyone else in by the waist.
In the Komi-Zyryan riddle, putting on a belt is compared to the construction of fortifications around a settlement: “... let us meet [the two ends of the belt] and cut down the city.”
In Central Russia it was believed that with the help of a belt one could “tie” cattle to the yard. In the Vladimir province, newly purchased cattle were led through a belt placed at the gate, saying: “Forget the old master, get used to the new one!”
In southern Russian villages, during the first pasture of livestock, a belt was spread in front of the threshold of the barn or the gate of the yard so that the animals returned home safely. For the same purpose, the belt was tied to the horns of a cow or placed in a bag for shepherds. The owners worriedly made sure that when leaving, the cow did not “drag” the belt with her feet, since this promised misfortune on the way to the pasture.
In the Russian North, on the eve of the first pasture of cattle, the housewife wove a belt from three linen threads, whispering: “As this braid is woven, so the dear cattle trudges to her yard from track to track, from step to step. Don’t get lost anywhere, neither in dark forests, nor in green meadows, nor in clean fields...” The housewife wore this belt until the cattle were pastured. The day before, she took it off and buried it at the exit from the yard with the words: “If the belt around me held tightly and tightly, so hold tight to the cow around the yard.”

Some ritual actions with the belt were aimed at stimulating male and female fertility and protecting the pregnant woman.

According to the Serbian list of the 15th century, the bast belt was used to treat male infertility.
The Russian custom of girdling oneself with herbs on St. George's Day for the sake of pregnancy, in all likelihood, had deep pagan roots.
A replacement for some pre-Christian ritual was the custom according to which childless Russian women, in the hope of becoming pregnant, wore a piece of the priest’s belt with them.
Orthodox Serbian women from Prizren and its surroundings girdled old churches with woolen thread, from which they then wove a belt and put it on themselves to become pregnant. Muslim Serbian women also used this ritual, only initially they girded the mausoleum of Sheikh Hussein in Prizren with a woolen thread.
During pregnancy, Komi women began to wear their husband’s belt, considering it a stronger amulet than their own. They were not recommended to take off their belt even at night, so as not to have nightmares (“the brownie did not press”).

The belt was necessary both during life and after death. It was believed that in the other world a person had to be girded. Therefore, the belt was included in the set of mortal clothing and was used in different ways in mourning rituals in different places.

In most Russian provinces, when a deceased person was buried, the belt was unfastened so as not to prevent the soul from finally leaving the body. According to legend, if this is not done, the dead will not find peace.
In a number of Russian provinces, the belt on the deceased was tied with one knot, especially if the husband or wife of the deceased hoped to remarry.
In Russia, when the coffin was taken out of the yard, the gate was tied with a belt to protect the house from repeated deaths. The horse carrying the coffin to the cemetery was led not by the reins, but by the belt.
In Belarus, during the funeral of the owner of the house, after his body was removed from the yard, the gate was tied with a red belt so that pestilence on livestock would not follow the owner.
In Ukraine, when sending a deceased person out of the hut, relatives often tied the gate with a belt, “so that there would be no more dead people.”
In southern Macedonia, a belt made of silk threads was girded around the waist of the deceased, which protected against the exodus of strength from the family of the deceased.

Without a belt in dishonor

In the myths and traditions of many peoples of the world, the belt is a sign of belonging to the world of positive heroes. In Russian folklore, “without a cross, without a belt,” only negative characters appear. Hence the expression “to loosen one’s belt,” that is, to trample upon moral norms. Inhabitants of the other world who take on human form (mermaids, fevers, etc.) are identified by the absence of a belt. The characters in many fairy tales who have contact with evil spirits are described as “belts.”

The insidious wife of the epic hero Dobrynya Nikitich, Marina Ignatyevna, calling the Serpent Gorynych into her mansion, leaned out of the window in only a shirt without a belt.
According to old Russian beliefs, anyone who goes out without a belt “unsportless” becomes a victim of evil spirits, most often a devil.
In Rus' there was an expression “to deprive (deprive) of a belt,” which meant “to deprive of a military rank.”

According to Russian customs, a person was considered humiliated when his belt was torn off in public. In 1433, the wedding of the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily II, nicknamed the Dark (reigned 1425-1462) and Maria, daughter of Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich Borovsky, took place. During the feast, princess mother Sofya Vitovtovna, in order to show the superiority of her son, tore off a belt embroidered in gold with expensive stones from the appanage prince of Zvenigorod Vasily Kosoy (ruled 1421-1448). Thus, she inflicted a grave insult on the entire family of the Zvenigorod princes, which served as the reason for many years of internecine war between cousins ​​for power. The history of this most famous Ancient Rus' The belt dates back to the times of the Suzdal prince Dmitry Konstantinovich (1321-1383), who gave it as a dowry for his daughter Evdokia, who became the wife of Dmitry Donskoy (1350-1389). Moscow thousand's Vasily Velyaminov replaced this belt with another, smaller one, and gave the real one to his son Mikula, who was married to Evdokia's sister Maria. Thus, the belt from the family of Dmitry Donskoy fell into the side princely line and was passed on as a dowry for several generations until it went to Vasily Kosom. He wore this belt to the Grand Duke’s wedding. Sofya Vitovtovna considered the belt to be the property of her family, which is why she tore it off the Zvenigorod guest.
Removing the baptismal belt meant joining the other world, so it was removed along with the cross when obtaining a “fern flower” on the night of Ivan Kupala, when searching for treasure, during the performance of pagan rituals against epidemics and the death of livestock.