s?f' 7 Approved CENTRAL INTELLSGENCE AGENCY weer-2r N04 25X1A INFORMATION REPORT 25X1A COUNTRY USSR DATE 013m, in; Mar 52 SUBJECT Superstitions in the USSR - ?Kl OF PAGES 3 NO. OF ENCLS, (LISYCD 25X1A ACQUSRED SUPPLEMENT TO g?d?aeo I REPORT NO. IN ms 18 UNEVALUATED INFORMATEON ?9 25X1X SOURCE 1. In the as in other countries of the world, all sorts of religioua super- stitions and predictions continue to exist. The most widely distributed ones which are encountered most frequently in daily life are given below: (A) A black out crosses the path of a Some kind of misfortune will hsppono A rabbit crosses the path of a passerby. That is not a good omen? After the events listed in points a) and b) shove, it is necessary to tu?n around three times on the same spot and then proceed on your wuyn The number 13 is an unlucky numberu Monday is bad day. It is not recommended to undertake a long trip on this day as there will be some uL_leasantnessn The floor should not be swept on the day when someone from the household or circle of close friends departs on a trip. This allegedly would sweep away his spirito A cricket appears in the houseD This means that reridents will be evicted or driven out of their house. And therefore residents make every effort to catch or destroy the orioket and stop its chirpinga A dog howls near the house? ghis means that he smells or senses either a fire or a corpse? A person is out of spirits (in a bad mood)n Means he stepped on his right foot as he got out of bed, So it is best to stop on the left foot first in getting out of bed. (3) It is not good to meet a funeral procession. Same is true of meeting a priest. In suoh oases it is reoomnended to take hold of a button on your clothingo In case of nearby lightning and clap of thunder it is necessary to cross oneself and say a prayer, thereby cleansing the soul before the Almighty. 0n Ivsnov's day (a religious holiday) forgatnme-nots (wildflower which 7 grows best on sandy soil) are picked, one for each m?mber of the family. They are fastened to the ceiling in an orderly arrangement so that euoh flower stands for one individual in the family, If any of the flowers do not open up, that is A'ngn that the individunl'will die during the yearo mu Ingram DISTRIBUTION . arm-m. 45C. Di Lu manna" Approved For Release 2002/07/12 CIA-RDP80-00809A000600020029-4 Approved For Release 2002/07/12 CIA-RDP80-00809A000600020029(no) (dd) (era) to (as) 2" This list 25X1A IHFDHIATIOM 350nm On Trinity (religious holiday) in the villages small birch tree is. stuck into the ground before the house,E This is done so that in case God comes there will he a plase for him to sit in the shsdea In house where there is a corpse, the mirrors are covered. A wstoh is kept at the coffin of A dead person at nighta Allegedly they are protecting the spirit, which on the 40th day will rise to heaven? . A coffin containing a corpse is always carried feet firsts An illness in tho fanily or some misfortune means that it is the wrath of God on account of sins which have been committed. A cow begins to give less milk. A child grows sioklya Means that it is the work of the evil eye" The palm of your hand itehes, issue you will receive moneyo Your eyelid itohes during the daytime; The left eyelid - means good luck, Right eyelid moans bad luck; When the eyelid itches at night, the left eyelid means bad luck; the right eyelid moans good luck" When you find a needle, if the sharp end lies sway from you, that is good? If the sharp end is toward you. that is bad? When you find a horse shoer if the open end lies toward you, that is good? If the open end lies sway from you, that is bad. In general, horseshoes are considered lucky or oouduoive to good? So people put them in their houses. Are happy to find theme When a wood fire is burning in fireplace, if sparks fly off, it means that a guest will arrive. If the cat washes his feoe with his pew while lying with his back to the doorr it means that a stronger will visit the houses Today this could mean that the MVD is about to pay a visit. If a mirror is dropped from the hand and is broken, it means some kind of misfortune? A brjken dish is a sign of good looks An example of this can be seen in the practice of actually breaking a plate or dish for good luck when a member of the family is going swayr as for example husband on son off to the front; The dish is broken just at the moment of departuren Before a departure of an individual or grOup on a long thin" all members of the femily and friends present should sit down quietly for few minuteso Then the traveler lesvos immediatelyp This is for good luck on the trip. A horse is ill-at-ease {disturbed in his stal'I or in the barn). Means it is the work of the hobgoblins (or house 3p; its)? The end of your nose itohes, Yen must take a look,into glass (take a drink of vodka)? A woman crosses the road with empty buckets this is not good. If with full buckets? that is goodo When a woman carrying empty buckets suspended to shoulder yoke is walking in direction soross yours, she will stop and allow you to prooeed tirsto You will nod to her or say something in thanks for her courtesyD Only womsn would cross your path in front of you while carrying empty buckets" Another superstitutinn is that it is not good for a woman osrfying two buckets of water with shoulder yoke to Allow two people to drink from the buckets at the same timaa This might cause her to have twinso If you sit at the corner of tablep you won't merry for a long time or not at all? It is bad to whistle in the house (a custom)a When a spider comes down his web from the telling, you will receive some kind of news or a letter" -2- that is a sign that contains only 5 small portion of the superstitions and propheciesa Among the people very many old eeremonios and customs (religious and wedding) hsve been preserved. To a certain extent the belief in miracles, visions and all kinds of signs still result of 1 an not ahlJ to describe them since, as a my own convictions, during my life in the USSR was very far removed from the possibility of understanding such nonsense. o. . a. ?cnd- -. . Approved For Release 2002/07/12 CIA-RDP80-00809A000600020029-4