March 8 — Polikarpov Day: history, traditions, folk signs
The national holiday Polycarpus Day is celebrated annually on March 8 (March 7 in a leap year). On this date, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the Holy Martyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, a disciple of John the Theologian. In 2025, it falls on a Saturday. Read about its traditions, history and signs in the Izvestia article.
Polycarpov Day – 2025: the history of the holiday
Saint Polycarp, born in the second half of the 1st century, was one of the outstanding representatives of early Christianity, a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian.
Having lost his parents since childhood, he was raised by the Christian Callista, and after her death he completely renounced worldly goods, distributing his inheritance to those in need. Polycarp decided to devote himself to the service of the church and eventually became Bishop of Smyrna.
The saint actively fought against gnosticism, defending the traditional Christian faith. The bishop's influence was so great that his disciples spread his ideas far beyond the borders of Asia Minor, including in Gaul and Italy. Only one of his works has survived to this day, The Epistle to the Philippians.
Polycarp played a significant role in the theological discussions of his time, for example, in the dispute with Pope Anikit over the date of Easter celebrations.
Polycarp died a martyr's death. At the age of 86, he was arrested and, refusing to renounce the Christian faith, accepted execution by burning. A detailed description of his last days reached his contemporaries in the "District Epistle of the Smyrna Church."
Traditions of Polycarpov Day, celebrated on March 8
In the national calendar, Polikarpov Day was also called "Sour Girls." It was believed that if a girl did not get engaged before March 8, then her path to marriage was postponed at least until the summer, and possibly for a longer period. The reason for this was Lent, during which weddings were not played. As a result, such unmarried girls were considered "sour."
In Russia, various traditions and fortune-telling were associated with Polycarpic Day. To speed up the meeting with the future groom, the girls went out into the street towards nightfall, circled on their right heels and appealed to the new moon with a request for an early wedding: "Young Moon, entwine grooms around me, as I entwine around you."
There was another rite: the girls who wanted to get married as soon as possible swept the garbage through the threshold and sentenced: "I'm driving the boys to the house."
What can and cannot be done during the celebration of Polycarpov Day
On Polycarpus Day in Russia it was customary to attend church. They asked the saint for a speedy recovery for the sick, and also prayed for support in raising children.
On this day, the girls baked pies. The dough that came up should be scooped three times with a thimble, whispering the name of the young man he liked. The finished pastries were divided between unmarried friends, hoping that this ritual would bring good luck in their personal lives.
Another common ritual was the "sifting" of snow. The girls, who fell into the category of "sour", typed it into the hem, shook it with the words: "I'll put millet on a maiden's braid. Where my fiance is, there's a dog, give a voice." After that, they listened to which yard the dog was barking in. The ancestors believed that the future groom lived there.
There were also prohibitions on this day. It was considered undesirable to be alone: this could prolong the waiting time for marriage. The elders advised spending the day in company, especially in the presence of men, even relatives or friends.
Polycarp's fancy clothes should have been put away in the chests. There was even a saying among the people on this occasion: "Take away the chests, girl, close the outfits."
Also, on this day, one should not touch the web, even by accident. Killing a spider was also considered a bad omen, foreshadowing trouble for the whole family.
Folk signs on March 8th
On Polycarp, the ancestors observed the behavior of birds. It was believed that it could predict what the weather would be like in the coming weeks. If the sparrows were actively engaged in building nests, it meant that the cold weather had completely receded and spring would be early. If the birds were hiding under the roofs of houses, it promised a fast snowfall. The variability of the March weather is reflected in the sayings: "The month of March loves to gamble, it is proud of the frost and sits on its nose."
The large number of icicles on the holiday indicated that the cold weather would last for a long time. And the fog on March 8 predicted a stormy summer.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions and signs of the national holiday of Fyodor Tyron and Mariamna Kikimora.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
