6 Strangest Rituals of the Russian People
Long before modern medicine and science reached rural corners of Russia, people relied on deeply rooted folk customs to explain the unexplainable. Some of these age-old rituals may seem shocking, surreal, or even macabre today—but they were once taken seriously as essential parts of village life. Here are six of the strangest ancient rituals that were once practiced in Old Russia. 1. Salting and “Re-Baking” Infants In old Russian villages, infant mortality was tragically high. Without antibiotics or modern healthcare, desperate parents resorted to folk rituals to protect their babies.
If a child was born prematurely or seemed sickly, they would cover the baby in dough, place them on a bread peel, and slide them into a preheated oven—briefly. This bizarre ritual, called “perepekanie” (literally “re-baking”), was believed to help the child “finish cooking,” just like in the womb. The practice lasted in some regions well into the 20th century…
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