The name September comes from the Latin septem, meaning 7, because it was the 7th month of the ancient Roman calendar, which began in March.
Our people have given this month other names that derive mainly from the great feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, such as the month of the cross, stavritis, stavriotis, or trigitis.
In Pontus, September was called Stavrites, after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
In Inepolis, it was called Stavrenos, after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
In Santa, we have the neuter adjective Stavritesin, from the noun Stavrites and the ending esin, which is used to refer to fruits that ripen in September.
In Chaldia, we have the word staurokokkymeelo, from the words stauros (cross) and kokkymeelo, which refers to a type of plum that ripens in September.
In Inepoli, we also have the word staurokraneia, from the words stauros (cross) and krania (cranium), which ripens in September. In Santa and Halvia, we also have the word staurolachano, which refers to a wild plant from Pontus that had cross-shaped leaves. We also have the word staurapin, meaning a pear that ripens in September.
In Trabzon, we have the word stavrachanton, which refers to the wild rose bush from which crosses were made.
Finally, in Kerasounta and Oinoi, we have the word stavridin, which in Kotiora and Tripoli was also used to refer to a type of fish similar to mackerel, which probably got this name because it was mainly fished in September.
By the book “THE FOLKLORE OF PONTOS”
Writer Elsa Galanidou – Balfousia
