June 13 — Yeremey-bobovnik: signs of an interesting national holiday

On June 13, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Holy Martyr Hermias of Comana, who died during the persecution of Christians under Emperor Anthony Pius. In the national calendar, this day is called Yeremey-bobovnik. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Friday. Izvestia tells us about the customs and signs associated with this day.

What is the holiday today, June 13th

Saint Hermas of Comana lived in the second century in Asia Minor. In his youth, he joined the military, devoting almost his entire life to this occupation. He refrained from participating in pagan rituals and secretly professed Christianity, fearing persecution.

The situation changed when Anthony Pius became the Roman emperor. The ruler issued a decree according to which all Christians were obliged to sacrifice to idols, otherwise death awaited them. A wave of persecution swept through the country, which eventually reached Hermias' hometown.

When the saint was called to trial, he was already a gray-haired elder. Governor Sebastian, who arrived to fulfill the emperor's decree, promised Hermas various honors if he agreed to participate in the sacrifice. However, he refused the offer. For this, the martyr was subjected to severe torture. But the executioners could not harm him by any means.

Then Hermas was ordered to serve a poisoned drink. The saint said a prayer, drank the poison, but this time he remained alive. The amazed magus, who gave him the potion, prepared an even stronger remedy. However, it had no effect on the martyr. After the miracle, the pagan priest repented of his sins and believed in Christ, for which he was immediately executed.

The same fate eventually befell Hermas. The saint was beheaded around the year 166. His body was secretly taken away and buried by Christians. According to legend, healings and other miracles took place at the grave of the martyr.

Traditions of the Yeremey-Bobovnik holiday

In Russia, the memorial day of St. Hermas was called Yeremey-bean garden, since at that time the peasants began planting legumes — beans and peas. They tried to finish the work in the garden before the cuckoo started to crow. It was believed that those who had seeds left by this time might not expect a rich harvest.

The holiday has another name — Yeremey Raspryagalnik. It is due to the fact that at the end of the sowing season, the owners unharnessed the horses, thanking them for their long and hard work in the field. The animals were well fed, bathed, combed and treated with treats.

It was considered a great sin to put a saddle on a horse and load it with work for Yeremey the Unharnessed Man. On this day, the chief assistants of the peasants were supposed to rest and gain strength. People believed that if this rule was ignored, animals could get sick and even die. Therefore, any trips and business requiring the transportation of goods were postponed to another day.

Yeremey-bobovnik in 2025: what can and cannot be done

There are no special church prohibitions on the memorial day of St. Hermias of Comana. If desired, believers can attend church services, take time to pray at home, or take care of daily chores.

However, various prohibitions and superstitions that have developed among the people have reached our days. For example, people did not go swimming or fishing on Yeremey for fear of encountering mermaids. According to legend, they were especially active during the holiday and could drag a person to the bottom if he came close to the water.

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In 2025, the holiday is celebrated on June 8th and 9th, respectively.

The girls at Yeremey-bobovnik postponed their needlework, as they believed that the product would not last long. For the same reason, the male craftsmen did not take up the job.

In order not to take luck and prosperity out of the house, it was forbidden to take out the trash on the holiday. They also tried not to quarrel with their loved ones that day. Otherwise, it was possible to incur illnesses and failures.

Folk signs of June 13

On Yeremey-bobovnik, people paid attention to various signs that predicted the weather. If it was a clear and sunny day, they expected a rich harvest of bread. The abundance of dew in the morning foreshadowed good weather, and its absence in the evening indicated an imminent rain. The morning mist indicated an abundance of mushrooms in the forest, and a spider weaving a spider web indicated the approach of fine days.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the Nikita Gusyatnik national holiday.