Believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church mark Saint Athanasius the Great on the last day of January, one of the greatest Church Fathers and defenders of the Orthodox faith. Because of a legend that this saint outwitted the devil in an unusual way, a custom has long been observed among the Serbian people on the day of Saint Athanasius.
Saint Athanasius was the Patriarch of Alexandria, a theologian and an untiring fighter against heresy. While still a young deacon, he took part in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325, where he defended the teaching of the Holy Trinity. Because of his steadfastness in faith, he was persecuted many times, but he never departed from the truth, which is why the Church celebrates him as a pillar of Orthodoxy.
In southern Serbia, a legend is still passed down according to which the devil tempted Saint Athanasius by disguising himself as a most beautiful girl and trying to persuade him to renounce God and join the worship of the evil one. Saint Athanasius immediately recognized the deception and asked the girl to show her demonic power by jumping into a small jug. As soon as she did so, he sealed the vessel and threw it into the sea. The legend says that the jug floated for years until fishermen found it and opened it. Then the devil emerged again and, according to belief, still wanders the world today, tempting people.
Because of this story, there is a belief among the people that whenever thunder roars, the devil thinks Saint Athanasius is coming, becomes frightened, and jumps into vessels.
That is why in some parts of Serbia a custom has been preserved whereby on the day of Saint Athanasius the Great all pots, pans, and containers in the house are covered with lids. It was believed that an uncovered vessel could be an open place through which evil could approach the home, so by covering them the house and family were symbolically protected. In popular consciousness, this belief was not understood literally, but as a sign of caution and spiritual vigilance, since Saint Athanasius is remembered as an untiring fighter against demonic deceptions and false teachings.
Some families in Serbia venerate Saint Athanasius the Great as a patron saint, especially those whose members have survived serious illnesses or life hardships.
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Source: Blicžena,Foto: SPC