June 7 — Ivan the Honeydew: prohibitions and signs of a significant national holiday

On June 7, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the third finding of the head of John the Baptist. In Russia, it was believed that from this period, "honeydew" appeared — a sweet and sticky liquid on the leaves of plants, which is formed by temperature fluctuations. Therefore, in the national calendar, the holiday was called Ivan's Day, or Ivan–Honeydew. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Saturday. Izvestia tells us what traditions and omens are associated with this day.

What is the holiday today, June 7th

John the Baptist is the closest predecessor of Jesus Christ. It was he who predicted the coming of the Messiah, and after a while baptized Christ in the waters of the Jordan, for which he received the second nickname — the Baptist. According to the Gospel, his birth happened six months before Jesus. He was the son of the priest Zachariah and the righteous Elizabeth, who was the cousin of the Virgin Mary.

The preacher led an ascetic lifestyle, spending a lot of time in prayer. In Scripture, he appears as a zealous denouncer of a sinful life, calling for repentance. The saint's life ended tragically. Around the year 30, he was executed by beheading on the orders of the Jewish king Herod.

The prophet's body was buried by his disciples in the Samarian city of Sebaste, and the head was hidden in one of Herod's estates. Later, this part of the saint's relics disappeared several times and was found again.

In the Christian tradition, there are several legends about the three miraculous discoveries of the head of John the Baptist. In the Orthodox calendar, celebrations in honor of the first two events take place on March 9 (March 8 in a leap year), and the third on June 7.

Ivan–Honeydew: customs and omens

The people had their own traditions associated with this day. In the morning, believers went to church and prayed to John the Baptist. They turned to the saint for healing from various ailments, strengthening in faith, forgiveness of sins, and also for a good harvest.

In addition, the peasants took care of the livestock. Honeydew was feared most of all in the old days. In the old days, this was the name given to the juice of plants, which began to stand out under the influence of temperature fluctuations, and tasted like honey. Honeydew was also called the excrement of aphids that feed on plant sap.

Our ancestors believed that this viscous, sweet liquid was dangerous not only for wheat and oats during the earning period, but also for pets. Therefore, they tried to drive the cattle out to pastures only after the dew had completely gone down. It was often said about the sick cattle: "It must have attacked the honeydew."

When several animals fell ill at once, bonfires were lit in the villages and cattle were forced to pass through the ashes to protect them from pestilence. It was believed that the smoke of a campfire best helps protect an animal from various infections.

At the same time, the usual morning dew that fell on Ivan was considered a good sign. "Even grass does not grow without dew," they said about this. According to popular beliefs, the abundant flowering of mountain ash also served as a good omen. This promised a rich harvest of oats, but the bare branches promised the same year.

Ivan–Honeydew in 2025: what can and cannot be done

On this holiday, believers should exclude animal products from their diet: meat, fish, milk and dairy products, as strict fasting is established on this day. It is allowed to eat fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs and pickles from vegetables.

It is also forbidden to swear, quarrel, arrange entertainment events and refuse to help those in need. Housewives are forbidden to do general cleaning and clean the floor.

According to popular superstitions, in order not to get into trouble, on Midsummer Day you can not spit on the ground and desecrate it in any way. You should also give up black clothes. Those who violated the ban, as they believed in the old days, would attract longing and sadness into their lives.

Earlier in June, Fedot Ovsyanik was celebrated in Russia. Izvestia talked about the traditions and signs of this day.