Old style date: May 30. In Russia, there was a belief that on this day "snakes gather and move in a procession to the snake wedding." Killing snakes, which crawled in abundance through the forests, was considered very dangerous: it was believed that the snake kin would fiercely avenge anyone who harmed them, and no healer could save from snake venom on this day. People would say: "Do not go into the grass on this day, do not disturb the forest thickets, do not tempt fate." In Russia, there was a belief that snakes were closely connected with certain plants and that they could influence each other. Many people often carried a piece of peony root in an amulet – it was believed to have the property of driving away snakes. It was also believed that if fresh rue branches were scattered early in the morning in sunny clearings, the snakes would be drawn to them, eat them all, and soon die. However, ash could not kill a snake – but it could deprive it of strength and the ability to bite. The same property was attributed to emerald – though, of course, this stone was not accessible to everyone. Snakes not only instilled fear in people but were also held in a certain respect. It was believed that reptiles and their parts could heal diseases. For example, fat rendered from a snake was used as a remedy for erysipelas and eye infections, and snake skin was applied to abscesses. On the snake festival, it was customary to plant beans. Before this, the beans were soaked in snow water collected from forest ravines where the snow lay for a long time. When planting beans, people would say: "Grow, beans, large and strong, for everyone, for old and young, for the entire Christian world." Name days on this day: Vasiliy, Isaakiy, Nikanor