May 21 is an important Russian holiday, Ivan the Long: what not to do, signs

On May 21, the Church commemorates John the Theologian, one of the 12 apostles and an evangelist. In the national calendar, the holiday was called Ivan the Long, or Wheat, because at that time they started sowing wheat. In 2025, the date falls on Wednesday. Read about the traditions and signs associated with the national celebration in the Izvestia article.

What holiday is celebrated on May 21st?

John was one of the closest disciples of Christ. He relentlessly followed the entire way of the Savior on the cross: he was present at the Transfiguration of the Lord on Tabor, witnessed many miracles performed by Him, and was in the bishop's courtyard during the interrogations of his Divine Teacher.

He also owns the authorship of the Book of Revelations, the three epistles of the New Testament and the Gospel of John. All these works played an important role in the history of the Christian faith, and John himself became known as the Theologian. In Christianity, only three saints have this title.

The Orthodox Church remembers John the Theologian three times a year. He is honored on July 13 during the Council of the 12 Apostles. Then, on October 9, his death day is celebrated. Another memorial day falls on May 21.

Traditions and omens of May 21

In Russia, at that time, it was time to sow wheat. The people said: "Harness the mare and plow the land for wheat." This meant that a holiday was not a reason to be lazy, and in order to get a good harvest, you had to work hard.

The housewives baked pies from wheat flour left over from last year. Jam was used as a filling, and a coin or other small objects were hidden inside. It was believed that whoever gets the prediction pie will have a rich and "sweet" year.

On a holiday, it was supposed to treat everyone who came to the dwelling with pastries. Sweets were also distributed to passersby and beggars. The remains of the pie were not thrown away and were fed to the birds. Our ancestors believed that observing this tradition could bring prosperity and prosperity to the home.

Special attention was paid to weather signs during the plowing season. So, if the cherry blossoms are in bloom, it means that the soil has already warmed up enough to sow wheat and other grain crops. A rainy morning foreshadowed a rich harvest of mushrooms and berries.

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Ivan the Long in 2025: what can and cannot be done

You can't swear at Ivan, quarrel, or refuse to help those in need. It is customary to wear clean clothes on a holiday. In the old days, wearing unwashed or dirty clothes was considered a bad sign, as it could cause illness and trouble. Our ancestors also avoided fortune-telling and performing magical rituals.

According to other popular beliefs, on May 21, you should not start construction and repair work, do general cleaning, do ironing and laundry. In addition, you should avoid eating fish and fish dishes. It was believed that anyone who violated the ban might lose their speech.

Earlier, Izvestia told how Job the Horoscope was celebrated in the old days — a national holiday that also falls at the end of May.