Why did they hire professional mourners in Old Rus’?
The ritual of weeping has existed among the Slavs since ancient times. However, some weeping women were invited to express grief at funerals.
In Old Rus’, Slavs believed that the louder the weeping and wailing at a funeral, the faster the soul of the deceased would find its peace. Professional mourners were invited to funerals, who helped express the grief of the deceased's family.
They were also invited to wakes and other mourning ceremonies. Both peasants and kings used their services.
Interestingly, only women were employed for the profession: it was believed that they were better at expressing emotions and were able to sympathize. A group of mourners would sing poems or songs in turns or in different voices.
In some cases, the ritual was also performed when there was a change of status: for example, when seeing off a son to the army or at a daughter's wedding. Sometimes, ritual crying was also heard during accidents – fire or natural disaster.
The church considered these rites pagan they were officially banned by Peter the Great. Nevertheless, the tradition has survived in some villages to this day.
The Mourning Hall of Peter the Great.
