The Orthodox holiday on February 26 is the Memorial Day of St. Martinianus of Caesarea: omens and superstitions

On February 26, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Martinianus of Caesarea, who lived in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Wednesday. Read about what the saint is known for and why they looked at the stars on his holiday in Russia in the Izvestia article.

The church holiday on February 26 is the Memorial Day of St. Martinianus of Caesarea

Saint Martinianus led an ascetic life from his youth. At the age of 18, he retired to the desert near the city of Caesarea in Palestine, where he spent 25 years in solitude and silence, receiving the gift of healing.

However, even away from human society, the hermit had to resist temptations. According to legend, one day the whore of Caesarea argued with her friends that she would seduce Martinianus, whose fame had already spread in the area. At night, the girl came to the saint's cave disguised as a traveler and asked for an overnight stay. Seeing that the weather was deteriorating, the righteous man let her in.

After that, the guest tried to persuade the hermit to sin, but he would not listen to her. He left the cell, lit a bonfire and stood with his bare feet in the burning coals, saying: "It is difficult for you, Martinianus, to endure this temporary fire, how will you endure the eternal fire prepared for you by the devil?" Struck by his steadfastness, the harlot repented and asked to be guided on the right path. On the advice of the saint, she went to Bethlehem and settled in the monastery of St. Paul, where she spent the rest of her life in piety.

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After this incident, Martinianus retired to an uninhabited rocky island, where nothing distracted him from prayer. The only person the saint communicated with was a shipbuilder who brought him groceries in exchange for wicker baskets.

One day, a ship crashed near the island, and the waves washed ashore a girl named Fotinia. The saint helped her get ashore, gave her his food and informed her when the shipbuilder would arrive. After that, he jumped into the sea and swam away. Two dolphins helped Martinianus get to earth. Fotinia decided not to leave the island and lived in seclusion for another six years before her death.

Martinianus spent the rest of his life wandering. Upon arrival in Athens, the saint felt the proximity of death. Then he came to the temple, lay down on the floor, called the bishop and asked him to bury his body, after which he died peacefully.

Mystical and weather folk signs

In Russia, the feast of St. Martinianus was called Martin's Day. It was believed that it should be devoted to household chores: cleaning, cooking, clearing the yard of snow, etc. Our ancestors believed that the more things were done, the happier the year would be.

After dark, villagers went outside and looked up at the sky, asking the stars to burn brighter. Our ancestors believed that this would help restore eyesight, especially for women who do needlework for a long time. The stars were also approached for other reasons — they were given the names of deceased relatives in order to receive support from the deceased in difficult circumstances.

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On Martin's Day in Russia, special attention was paid to the weather. It was believed that if it was warm and sunny on a holiday, spring would be the same. Cloudy skies and frosts opposite promised a stormy and cold season. If the snow was melting, they knew that spring could come any day, but if the snowdrifts did not decrease, they understood that winter would be delayed.

The weather for the next few days was judged by the behavior of the animals. If the cats often sneezed at Martin, they were preparing for a decrease in temperature. But the ringing song of birds spoke of the imminent warming.

Russian superstitions and beliefs

Various superstitions and prohibitions were associated with Martinov's Day in Russia. During the holiday, they tried not to be idle, so as not to incur various troubles. It was possible to do not only household chores, but also other things — according to beliefs, on February 26, any enterprise is doomed to success. At the same time, the day was considered especially favorable for solving financial issues and large purchases.

Fashionistas on Martin were advised to hold off on getting a haircut or choosing a new hairstyle. People believed that any manipulation of hair on this day could lead to problematic situations from which it would be difficult to find a way out.

Our ancestors tried to spend the holiday with their family or friends. It was believed that a person left alone would spend another year like this. They did not leave young children unattended to prevent evil spirits from scaring them.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the celebration of memorial Day Vlasius of Sebaste.