March 2 — Fyodor Tyron and Mariamna Kikimora: history, traditions and signs of the holiday

On the first week of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Christian holy Great Martyr Theodore and the righteous elder Mariamne. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Fedor Tyron and Mariamna Kikimora. In 2025, it falls on March 2. Read about the history, traditions, and folk signs of this day in the Izvestia article.

Fyodor Tyron and Mariamna Kikimora Day – 2025: the history of the memorable date

The Holy Martyr Theodore was born in Evkhaiti, on the territory of modern Turkey at the turn of the III-IV centuries. He was a soldier in a regiment in Amazonia, the administrative center of the Pontic region in northeastern Asia Minor, which is why he got his nickname - "Tyron" comes from the Latin word "tiro" — a recruit.

He was a Christian, despite the fact that at that time Emperor Galerius organized persecutions of believers in the Savior. Fyodor was forced to sacrifice to pagan gods, but he refused, for which he was unfairly accused of setting fire to the temple of Cybele, thrown into prison and condemned to starvation.

In the dungeon, Jesus appeared to Fyodor, who uttered words of comfort, strengthening and supporting his spirit. Some time later, the prisoner was found alive. The authorities again demanded that he sacrifice to idols. After resolutely refusing, Theodore was subjected to severe torture and then sentenced to be burned at the stake. The remains of the saint, according to legend, were not touched by the flames. They were buried by the Christian Eusebia. Later, the relics were transferred to Constantinople.

Sacred tradition connects the name of Theodore Tyron with a miraculous event that occurred 50 years after his martyrdom. Emperor Julian the Apostate, trying to desecrate Christian traditions, ordered that all products in the markets be sprinkled with the blood of sacrificial animals in the first week of Great Lent.

Fyodor appeared in a dream to Archbishop Evdoksi of Constantinople and ordered the faithful to be warned to refrain from shopping and eat only koliv — boiled wheat with honey. In memory of this event, the Orthodox Church established a special day of veneration for the Great Martyr Theodore Tyron on the first Saturday of Great Lent. On this day, the canon to the saint, compiled by John of Damascus, is read in churches, as well as the koliva is blessed and distributed.

On the same day, Orthodox Christians honor the memory of the righteous Mariamne, the sister of St. Philip, one of the apostles of Christ. She took a vow of celibacy and accompanied her brother and the Apostle Bartholomew on his travels, preached among women, helping to convert them to the true faith. Mariamna had the gift of healing from mental and physical illnesses.

According to legend, she was present at the miracles performed by the apostles. So, crossing the desert, they killed snakes and a huge dragon with the sign of the cross, which struck fear into the locals. In the city of Hierapolis, the terminally ill wife of the mayor was cured and the blind man's eyesight was restored, which attracted the attention of the authorities and was captured.

The travelers were asked to renounce their faith, but they refused. For this, Mariamne, along with Philip and Bartholomew, was tortured by hanging upside down. The execution was interrupted by the appearance of the Apostle John the Theologian in the city. After reading the prayer, the earth opened up, swallowing the mayor, his wife, priests and many pagans.

The Apostle Philip died of his wounds, and Bartholomew and Mariamne were released. She continued her mission, preaching Christianity and healing the sick, and completed her earthly journey in old age, becoming one of the revered Christian ascetics.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated on March 2

In the folk tradition, the image of the old Mariamna transformed into a kikimora, a mythological creature that lives in a house or in a swamp, bringing trouble to the household. It is believed that she spins at night, scares pets and people, loves small dirty tricks and tricks. Her image has deep roots in Slavic mythology.

There was a belief that the kikimora was especially active in the first days of March, so the housewives performed rituals of purification of the dwelling, read special spells, laid out amulets of thistle and wormwood in the corners of the houses.

To prevent the kikimores from messing up in the chicken coops, they hung a stone with a hole of natural origin, called the "chicken god" and served as a talisman for poultry.

Traditionally, on this day, unmarried girls read fortunes on their betrothed. To do this, it was necessary to leave the house at dusk — if a woman was the first to meet on the way, then the wedding would take place this year.

What can and cannot be done during the celebration of Fyodor Tyron and Mariamna Kikimora Day

For the ancestors, the day was associated with the purification of the soul and body. To do this, you should drink plenty of cold water. It was believed that it promotes spiritual concentration, prayer, and aspiration to God. They were also supposed to wear only worn clothes and eat from old dishes as a sign of humility.

Pregnant women had to leave the house at dawn and watch the sunrise. In Russia, it was believed that this would help the baby to be born healthy and strong.

On this day, it was forbidden to leave unwashed dishes or dirty laundry overnight, as this could attract evil spirits. You also shouldn't look at the night sky – seeing a shooting star promised the imminent death of someone close to you.

Folk signs of March 2

On this holiday, the ancestors observed nature, believing that the weather on this day could predict what the summer would be like. The sun on Mariamna Kikimora promised early spring and hot summer, snowfall foreshadowed a good harvest of wheat, and rain — an abundance of bread and flax. If the day was foggy, it predicted a cold May, and the return of migratory birds meant the early arrival of spring.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions of celebrating a national holiday href="https://iz.ru/1844903/2025-02-27/28-fevrala-onisim-ovcar-istoria-tradicii-i-primety-narodnogo-prazdnika " target="_blank">Onesimus Ovcharus.