May 16 is a special Russian holiday of the Moor of the Nursery: prohibitions and omens

Every year on May 16, the Orthodox Church commemorates the martyrs Timothy and Mavra of Thebes, who suffered for their faith in Christ under Emperor Diocletian. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Friday. In Russia, the Moor's Breeding Ground was celebrated on this day. Read about the traditions and folk signs associated with this holiday in the Izvestia article.

What holiday is celebrated on May 16?

The Holy spouses Timothy and Mavra lived at the turn of the third and fourth centuries in the Egyptian city of Thebes. They got married at a young age, but they didn't have time to be married for even a month.

Timofey was the son of a priest and served as a reader in the church clergy. He was also engaged in the census and storage of liturgical books. At that time, Emperor Diocletian issued a law according to which all Christians who refused to sacrifice to idols were sentenced to death. Temples and books that affirmed faith in Christ were to be destroyed. After that, severe persecution of believers began in Thebes.

Ill-wishers informed Timofey that he keeps forbidden texts. At the trial, the Theban ruler Arianus demanded that the reader hand over all his books, but he refused. After that, he was tortured and thrown into a dungeon. At the same time, Ariane was informed that the martyr has a young wife, whose wedding took place just 20 days ago. Then the governor sent for Mavra in the hope that she would be able to shake her husband's resolve.

However, after talking to Timothy in prison, the girl was determined to accept suffering for faith with him. She openly declared herself a Christian, for which she was subjected to torture. Seeing that the spirit of the saints could not be broken, Arianus ordered the crucifixion of the couple. They spent nine days in agony on the crosses, after which they died. Several Christians managed to redeem their bodies in order to be buried with honors. Subsequently, miraculous healings took place on their graves more than once.

Traditions of the national holiday Mavra Rassadnitsa

In Russia, on the memorial day of Saints Mavra and Timothy, the Moor was celebrated as a breeding ground. This day was considered extremely favorable for sowing cabbage, which was an integral part of the peasants' diet.

Strict rules were followed to ensure a good harvest. Only women were allowed to work in the garden, because, according to beliefs, men's crops would die. A prayer was read before planting, and then the beds were sprinkled with holy water to protect them from drought and pests. They also tried not to eat bread near the garden on the holiday, so that the chickens would not peck the crops.

The Mavra Breeding Ground also had another name — Mavra Green Cabbage Soup. It arose due to the fact that by this day people were running out of winter stocks of sauerkraut, and cabbage soup began to be cooked from fresh nettles, sorrel and quinoa. Nettles were harvested not only for cooking. There was a tradition to lightly whip the household with it to protect them from diseases.

What can and cannot be done on the May 16 holiday

The Orthodox Church does not establish any special prohibitions on the day of commemoration of Saints Timothy and Mavra, there is no fast on this day. If desired, believers can visit the temple and take part in worship or pray at home. It will be useful to study the lives of Christian martyrs in order to better understand their exploits.

In Russia, the Moor's Hotbed was considered a family holiday, so the couple tried to celebrate it without quarrels, scandals and jealousy. There was a belief that a husband and wife who were having a fight during a celebration would not be able to reconcile for a long time.

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In addition, they tried to avoid any repair work on this day, except for the most urgent ones. It was believed that changes in the house could lead to life failures. Milk was treated with extreme care during the holiday. Spilling it or wasting it was considered bad luck.

People on the Moor did not buy or accept handkerchiefs as gifts, so as not to get sick and bring trouble to their loved ones. The holiday lovers did not make plans for a life together, fearing that they would not come true.

Mavra Breeding ground in 2025: folk signs on May 16

On Mavra the Breeding Ground, the villagers closely watched the nature. If nightingales began to sing in the woods on the eve of the holiday, they were no longer afraid of the return of the cold weather. But the cherry blossom, on the contrary, indicated a rapid decrease in temperature. The abundance of dew in the morning promised gardeners a rich harvest of cucumbers. If the oak tree was dressed in green foliage before the ash tree, they expected a dry summer.

Earlier, Izvestia told how the national holiday Yeremey Zapryagalnik was celebrated in Russia and what not to do on that day.