On Christmas day a clergyman goes from house to house reading prayers and congratulating the people. After all this the people gather together to celebrate. Easter is celebrated in April. Forty days prior, a fast is observed during which certain activities are prohibited. Believers will only eat one full meal and two half-meals a day.
Russian weddings are solemn.
The bride dresses in a gown like a white swan. The bridegroom fetches her early in the morning with a horse-drawn carriage. During the ceremony, the two stand before the image of Madonna while the priest asks them questions. They then exchange rings and the priest prays for them and gives them honey to symbolize the sweetness of their marriage. Anniversaries are held sacred, each with a special name.