How does one nation differ from another? with their own unique traditions and customs that have developed over centuries and are carefully passed on from generation to generation. They prescribe to a person how to behave in different situations. For example, family and everyday life is imbued with customs - how to talk to your wife and children, how to behave on the street when meeting older people, how to greet guests.

Hospitality is a tradition

The Russian people have always been distinguished by their hospitality and cordiality. The attitude towards guests in Rus' was special. Guests, even random ones, were treated with honor and respect. It was believed that the traveler who looked into the house had seen a lot on his way, knew a lot, and had a lot to learn from him. And if the guest enjoys the warm welcome, then from his words the good fame of the owner of the house and of Rus' will spread throughout the world. The main task of the owner was considered to feed the dear guest as best as possible; best dishes. The sayings “What is in the oven, everything is on the table”, “Even though you are not rich, but you are glad to have guests”, “Don’t feel sorry for your guest, pour it thicker” have survived to this day. If the upcoming meeting of guests was known in advance, then they began to prepare in several days. There was a custom to greet dear guests at the doorstep with bread and salt. Usually the bread, always placed on a clean towel (rushnyk), was brought out to the guests by the hostess of the house or the woman whose hands the loaf was baked. At the same time, the towel indicated the path that the guest had taken. In addition, it symbolized God's blessing. Bread and salt were symbols of wealth and well-being, and salt was also attributed the properties of a “amulet.” To greet a guest with “bread and salt” meant to call on him God's grace and add your wishes for goodness and peace. However, guests could also bring bread and salt into the house, expressing special respect for the owner and wishing him prosperity and prosperity.

“Every traveler was, as it were, sacred for the Slavs: they greeted him with affection, treated him with joy, saw him off with reverence...”
N.M. Karamzin.

Traditional Russian meal

If guests were received in the house, the meal began and followed a certain scenario. The table, which was literally bursting with a variety of dishes, was located in the “red corner” next to the stationary benches attached to the wall. There was a belief that those sitting on these benches enjoyed the special protection of saints. According to tradition, at the beginning of the meal, the mistress of the house appeared, dressed in her best outfit. She greeted the guests with a bow to the ground. The guests bowed in response and, at the owner’s suggestion, came up to kiss her. According to long-established custom, each guest was given a glass of vodka. After the “kissing ritual,” the hostess went to a special women’s table, which served as a signal for the start of the meal. The host cut off a piece of bread for each guest and sprinkled it with salt. The attitude towards bread was especially reverent; it was considered the basis of well-being and was associated in the minds of the people with long and hard work. Salt at that time was a very expensive product, which was used only in special cases. Even in the royal house, salt shakers were located closer to the king himself and the most important guests. In addition, it was believed that salt drove away evil spirits. Therefore, presenting bread and salt meant sharing what was most precious with the guest, expressing respect and at the same time wishing well-being and goodness.

It is impossible to imagine a Russian table without bread and salt: “Without salt, without bread there is a bad conversation”, “Bread on the table, so the table is the throne”, “Not a piece of bread, and there is melancholy in the mansion, but there is no bread, so there is no bread.” fir is paradise”, “Without bread there is death, without salt there is laughter.”

By refusing to share “bread and salt” with the owners of the house, one could cause them an indelible offense. During the meal, it was customary to treat the guests intensively. And if the guests ate little, the hosts persuaded them to try this or that dish by kneeling.

And today we meet with “bread and salt”

Our people are still open, hospitable and welcoming. And the tradition of greeting dear guests not only with a welcoming word, but also with bread and salt has been preserved to this day. For example, on the wedding day, the groom’s mother gives the newlyweds wedding loaf- a symbol of pure thoughts and good intentions. This means that the parents accept a young wife into the family, with whom they now have to live next to each other and share all the troubles and joys. Of course, in pure form ceremony is more often used in official meetings or at festive, solemn moments. For example, residents of the city greet their dear guests with a festive loaf of bread.

On the picture: The groom's parents are waiting for the newlyweds in front of bread and salt, wedding in Zelenograd, photographer Grigory Petrov.

Bread and salt before the ceremony

Congratulations to the groom's parents begin from the moment such wedding ceremony like bread and salt. This long-standing Russian tradition dates back to pagan times - always in Rus', dear guests are greeted with bread and salt, the most expensive thing that is on our land. The guests, or in our case the newlyweds, had to break off a piece of bread, salt it and taste it. This tradition is still used at official receptions; beautiful Russian girls in kokoshniks bring bread and salt to foreign guests, showing that we have not forgotten our ancient original traditions.

Bread and salt used to be presented to a young couple after the wedding, when they approached the groom's house. It was presented by the groom's parents along with a parental blessing, at the end of which the new family was given icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. These icons were the beginning of this family’s home iconostasis. Usually, the bride went after the wedding to the groom’s house, which either remained to live with her parents or was built for him. own house, which depended on the wealth of the groom’s family. She was walking to new house not empty-handed, but with a dowry, which, as a rule, included clothes, bed sheets, personal jewelry, and in rich families - money. The dowry began to be collected almost immediately after the birth of the daughter.

On the picture: Biting off a loaf, old Medsteklo dining room, Klin, wedding in Klin, photographer Tina.

Nowadays, using the example of weddings in the Moscow region, the bread-and-salt ceremony is carried out either at the threshold of the groom’s house, where the newlyweds come specially after the registry office or wedding, or at the threshold of the restaurant where the celebration will be held. According to the rules, the groom’s mother in a dress, after purchasing women’s clothing from an online store, holds a tray with a loaf of bread on a towel, in the center of which is a salt shaker. Dad - icons that he passes on to the young after kissing. The bride's parents, preferably, should also stand nearby and watch everything that happens.

Breaking off a loaf

On the picture: Ritual last time to annoy each other with bread and salt, club in a distant village, Klinsky district, photographer Tina.

The first word, as a rule, goes to the groom's mother, and the father stands modestly with glasses of champagne for the newlyweds nearby and quietly agrees with the mother's words. Of course, if dad - a real man, then he should say parting words and blessings, and mother adds congratulations in verse and says her blessing. Usually there are difficulties - What can I say? We will give several examples of the speech of the father (mother) of the groom for this occasion. The moment is exciting, so you need to speak from the bottom of your heart, you must have a cheat sheet for poetry, and it is better to say words of blessing from yourself, in your own words. But you still need to rehearse your speech before the newlyweds arrive.

Father - “Our children, we congratulate you - now you legal husband and wife. We bless you and your mother for a long and happy life, live together and happily. Live in such a way as to thank God for every day you live together, love each other, give birth to our grandchildren as soon as possible, do not forget us - come visit more often, Advice and Love to you!

“In the name of the father, son and holy spirit,” with these words he baptizes the newlyweds.

Father - “Our beloved doves, you have finally become husband and wife. A long and happy journey, along which you will walk together until the very end. Congratulations on completing your first important step in your life. And then we expect many more such steps from you! The birth of your first child, his first step, building your own home - all this you have to experience. In the meantime, you are the most happy couple on this earth. I only want to wish you happy days so that you, like two swans, float through life side by side, warming each other with your warmth. Be happy"!

1. Mom - “Our dear (Names of the newlyweds), I also want to congratulate you on your marriage. Be happy in your union that you have created today. Cherish the warmth of this day for the rest of your life. Save your happiness and increase it many, many times. Oh, my lovelies. What happiness. They arrived beautiful, elegant, happy. Let me kiss you on both cheeks.”
2. Mom - “Dear children! Congratulations on joining legal marriage. We wish you happiness, health, for long years married life. You are welcome to our home - your home. Try our bread and salt, and we’ll see who’s boss in the house.”
3. Mom - “I’m taking my daughter into the house,

   Paired with my dear son.

   Peace be with you and love is your advice,

   May God protect you from troubles,

   Children will be your reward,

   I’m happy to babysit my grandchildren.

   Happiness for the son is happiness for the mother,

   I will be happy with you."

Father - “I want to congratulate you on your marriage.

Keep the warmth you have acquired.

And do your best,

So as not to waste everything you found.

Live peacefully, amicably, fairly,

So that trouble can’t sneak up on you,

May life be fun and beautiful.

Never part, children."

In a solemn and bright hour,

When fanfare and poetry sound,

Let us congratulate you

Happy birth of a young family!

What can I wish you at this hour?

Of course, joy and happiness,

May luck not leave you

Let all bad weather pass by!

So that you never know

About grief and sadness,

So that they don’t forget about love,

Let there be holidays!

I would like to briefly congratulate you,

Wish you many years without separation.

And direct you to the true path,

And fasten your hands between you.

Let happiness be endless,

I wish you without any doubts,

So that your love and cordiality

Preserved until the last days.

The parents’ speech should not be long, because everyone, both guests and young people, are waiting for the start wedding banquet, but on it parents can afford to say toasts and congratulations to their children as much as they want.

On the picture: Ritual of annoying each other for the last time, Feeding a salted loaf, photographer Tina.

After parent words the newlyweds bow to their parents, and they baptize them with icons and give each one a kiss. The bride and groom kiss each icon in turn and take them for themselves. In some families, during the blessing of the newlyweds, they place their feet on a towel or kneel on a sheep's coat, which is placed with the fur facing up. This custom came from the Cossacks; a fur coat symbolizes the warmth of the hearth..

Parents' speech on bread and salt

A video collection of newlyweds meeting with their parents after a walk, and speeches made at the bread and salt ceremony. website

Traditionally, the newlyweds break the bread; now it is customary to take a bite and determine who will be the master of the house based on the size of the bitten piece of the loaf. This competition is of a comic nature. Then the bitten or broken pieces are salted, sometimes they ask everyone to salt their piece very strongly, and then feed each other with the words - “Salt each other for the last time.”

Bride biting off a loaf of bread and salt

On the picture: The bride biting off a loaf of bread at the bread and salt ceremony. Some people really want to become the master of the house!

Having bitten off a piece of salted loaf, the newlyweds wash it down with champagne (sometimes pure spring water). And a glass is broken over the left shoulder (optional). Why through the left? It is believed that a guardian angel sits on our right shoulder, and a tempting devil sits on our left shoulder, so the empty flying glass is destined for him. And from the fragments, it was believed that it was possible to determine how many and what kind of children there would be in the newlyweds’ family - large fragments were boys, and small fragments were girls. After counting the fragments, the young people were first invited to the house or to a restaurant. The groom carried the bride into the house in his arms, or carried him at least over the threshold. The newlyweds are followed by their parents and all other guests.

In conclusion, I would like to advise parents to prepare a little for this important moment in advance, and for newlyweds to show them this article so that they can decide for themselves which scenario to choose and it will be easier for them to prepare a short but sincere speech that gets to the heart.

Reading time: 4 min.

In Rus' they greeted and honored with bread and salt. They called it bread and salt. We started with bread and salt new life in the new house, they blessed the newlyweds at the wedding. Bread and salt drove away evil spirits.

“Without bread - death, without salt - laughter”
Everyday meals, like sacrifices, are an appeal to the Almighty, a conversation with God. Hence not only a respectful and reverent attitude towards food, but also its sacralization. For a hunter, the carcass of a killed animal is sacred, for a pastoralist - the meat of livestock, for a farmer - the main agricultural products. So for the Slavs, bread and salt were two sacred products. The bread and salt merged together became the personification of plentiful food, hospitality, and cordiality.
It was considered impermissible to break the custom, not to seat someone who came to the house at the table, where bread and salt were always ready, just like refusing an invitation. “The Tsar himself does not refuse bread and salt.” Showing hospitality and accepting it was the key to friendship and trust for the ritual participants.
Anyone who ate the bread and salt could not harm the one who presented it. “You forgot my bread and salt,” is the greatest reproach that could be given to an ungrateful person.


What a feast without bread and salt! What would a wedding be without them! A wedding loaf with a salt shaker is a wish for prosperity, wealth and completeness, as well as protection from hostile forces and influences to which the bride and groom are so susceptible during the transition from one status to another.
You cannot do without bread and salt during the house building ceremony and housewarming ceremony. What is a house without bread and salt, without wealth, without a talisman against evil spirits. It was believed that just by mentioning bread and salt one could ward off evil spirits: the sacred words “Bread and salt” were certainly said if someone was caught eating, and they ended the meal with them.
« God's gift»
Bread is God himself, the body of the Lord according to the Christian symbolism of the Eucharist. And at the same time, bread is God’s gift: God gives a person bread, by eating a piece - a “share”, a person receives his “share” - fate, happiness. However, exalting the reasonable over the traditional, degrading what was once sacred, continuing to conquer external world, we, without noticing it, are becoming smaller, losing touch with the past, turning the world order upside down. A crumb of bread will fall - and let it! There was a piece left uneaten - oh well! Today bread is bread, food, through which we are not given the opportunity to rise, to gain grace.
IN traditional culture, from which we stem, which we continue so sluggishly and uncertainly, bread as a blessing, as an oath, was at the head of everything: if you don’t take the bread off the table and sweep away the crumbs, your home will have prosperity and completeness.
In the 17th century large monasteries sent black to the royal feast Rye bread, part of the bread of the spiritual fathers, thereby blessing the autocrat. This bread was the first thing that was placed on the table at the king’s meal. Also, at the beginning of the meal, the steward presented the king with large oblong loaves of bread, which were distributed to everyone present from senior to junior in rank. Anyone who accepted the bread and subsequently dared to betray the king was considered abandoned by God, cursed.
“No salt and the table is crooked”
Actions performed with salt were no less close attention. Salt will crumble - to trouble, quarrel, because salt is a symbol of fidelity, friendship, constancy. And if they passed salt to another across the table, it was necessary to laugh loudly, so that again there would be no quarrel.
At the same time, laughter protects against evil spirits: laughter is a sign of a living person, not just alive, but cheerful, full of strength, energy, which means there is no place for evil spirits here! Also, to avoid discord, they threw salt and spat over their left shoulder. With exactly the same actions and words: “It’s the “left”, let them fight, and Christ is with us!” drove away hostile forces.
Salt like magical talisman protected from " evil eye”, averted the otherworldly, “alien” influence that a person encountered both in everyday life and in ritual situations that were significant for him and the entire society.
In the past, the owner of the house, as a rule, salted the common food himself, and it was possible to sprinkle a little salt on the tablecloth. However, under no circumstances should one dip bread in a salt shaker, because “only Judas dipped bread in a salt shaker.” The prohibition to take salt from a salt shaker with your hands was also associated with the image of Judas: “Whoever takes salt from a salt shaker with his fingers, and not with a knife or the “tsve” of a spoon, can safely be considered a secret enemy of the house, a “dead Judas.”
According to legend, from Easter to the Ascension, Jesus Christ walks the earth and enters only those houses where salt is poured on the table, because Jesus allegedly never dipped bread into a salt shaker.
So, they not only ate bread and salt, but protected it, brought prosperity closer, showed friendly feelings, trust, they were revered and exalted, not daring to neglect even a crumb or grain.

When you come to someone else’s house and find the owners at the table, you definitely wish them Bon appetit, right?

And in ancient times in Rus' they said: bread and salt to your home.

And, I must say, the meaning of the expression in the old days was much more complete than our wishes for bon appetit.

Ask why?

Let's figure it out together.

We all know folk tradition Serve the newlyweds a loaf of salt. If you think that this is done for beauty or simply to amuse people, then you are mistaken.

This tradition has been around for many years. The most dear guests in Rus' were always greeted with bread and salt. If everything is more or less clear with bread, then the question arises: why salt? Why do you need to carefully break off a piece of bread and dip it in salt and eat it? What is the hidden meaning here?

It turns out that with an offering of bread and salt, the hosts greeted their dear guests and wished them wealth (bread, as a symbol of wealth) and drove away unclean spirits (salt, as a symbol of the purity of the soul). Salt has a lot to do with it folk signs. For example, .

Some sources claim that by offering to try salt, the hosts checked the guests to see if they were living people, and not a nightmare sent.

The guests were obliged to accept the hosts' gift, that is, to try a piece of bread with salt. And only then were friendly relations established between them.

If a guest refused to accept this gift, he was not allowed into the house, they were afraid of the wickedness brought in, bad thoughts and an evil eye.

Therefore the most hospitable hosts are still called hospitable, i.e. who know how to not only warmly welcome and feed deliciously, but also give light with sincere conversation and warmth. There is a reason why it exists.

Now a little about the wedding tradition of serving bread and salt to the newlyweds.

This is done by the parents of the newlyweds when they meet them at the doorstep. Now each of the young people is trying to bite off a larger piece, since there is such a sign that whose piece is larger is the master of the house and will steer the family boat.

And in the old days, it was supposed to break off bread slowly, sedately - bread requires respect and inner confidence in one’s abilities.

So, a piece was broken off, dipped in salt and eaten.

After each of the young people ate a piece of bread with salt, the groom took the loaf in his hands and broke it into two parts. He kept one for himself, and gave the second to the bride. And they walked around the circle and treated the invited guests.

Those. A silent, hospitable agreement of friendship and support was concluded with all those invited.

The next day, the remaining food was collected from the table and taken to the church for the poor. At the same time, the bread became salty. So the newlyweds shared their spiritual wealth and happiness with all the people.