March 23 — Vasilisa's Day: history, traditions, folk signs
Every year on March 23, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of more than two dozen Corinthian martyrs who suffered for their faith in Christ in the third century. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Sunday. In the national calendar, it is called "Vasilisa's Day" after one of the saints. Izvestia tells about the traditions, signs and prohibitions of the holiday.
Vasilisa's Day in 2025: the history of the holiday
In the middle of the third century, the Roman Emperor Decius began a large-scale persecution of Christians. Many believers were tortured or executed for refusing to worship pagan gods. Among those who managed to escape from persecution was the righteous Rufina. She hid in the mountains near Corinth and there gave birth to a son, Kondrat. However, she was unable to raise the boy, as she died soon after.
According to legend, Kondrat grew up in the desert and already in adulthood he met Christians who told him about God. The man became imbued with their words, was baptized, learned to read and become a doctor. He could lead a comfortable life in the city, as the healers were highly respected by the citizens. However, the saint preferred prayer solitude in the mountains to satiety and prosperity.
Saint Kondrat was often visited by friends and students to listen to his teachings. Among them was Vasilisa, the wife of one of the hermit's followers. When the emperor learned of Kondrat's deeds, he ordered the arrest of the saint and all those who visited him — more than 20 people. They were tortured, but no one denied Christ. Each martyr voluntarily accepted a terrible death, and their spouses followed them to execution.
Traditions for Vasilisa's Day, March 23
In Russia, among all the Corinthian martyrs, the common people singled out Vasilisa. It was believed that she had power over the spring waters, endowed streams with memory and saw what was hidden from view. Therefore, the saint often prayed, asking for protection from spring floods.
On the holiday, the villagers began to prepare for the high water season. The men dug trenches around the barns and wells to keep them from flooding, and the women put the house in order.
Fishermen went fishing, as there were a lot of fish in the reservoirs at the end of March. However, all the catch was sent for salting or drying, as Vasilisa's day always falls on Lent.
What can and cannot be done on Vasilisa's day, March 23
In Russia, Vasilisa's day was considered a time of magic. Despite the condemnation from the church, many women and girls wondered how their future would turn out. At the same time, fortune-telling on the betrothed, as well as love spells and love spells were forbidden, as they threatened loneliness. They did not arrange noisy feasts on March 23, so as not to attract the attention of envious people who could cause damage.
Vasilisa's day was associated not only with magic, but also with evil spirits. Alcohol consumption was forbidden: the ancestors believed that evil spirits could subdue a drunk person. During the holiday, they tried not to remember their deceased relatives, so as not to attract conflicts and misfortunes to the family.
New clothes and shoes were not bought on March 23, as it was believed that they would quickly become unusable. According to beliefs, on a holiday it was not necessary to make a bed with new bed linen, as a person sleeping on it could have nightmares.
The image of Saint Vasilisa was closely associated with water, so pouring anything on her holiday was considered a bad omen. People tried not to pour too much into mugs and pitchers, did not leave spoons in the plates and did not put dishes at the edge of the table. If something did spill, it was necessary to wipe the place immediately and throw a cloth into the oven. Otherwise, luck and prosperity could leave the house.
Unmarried girls were forbidden to wear their mothers' hats on March 23. It was believed that after this they could develop diseases in the female line.
Folk signs on March 23rd
Our ancestors paid attention to the signs on Vasilisa, hoping to find out what spring would be like. If the cranes were already returning by March 23, you could expect warmth, but if a cold wind was blowing in your back, you knew that winter would be delayed. Larks circling in the sky said that the first grass would appear soon. A thunderstorm was considered a good sign on the holiday, as it promised a fruitful year.
The ant heaps could tell you how the summer would go. If the snow around them has melted from the south, the season promises to be short and rainy, and if from the north — long and warm.
The weather for the near future was judged by clouds. If the sky on Vasilisa was sunny, they expected warm but cloudy days. If it was cloudy on a holiday, they knew it was going to rain soon.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the national holiday Pavel Kapelnik.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
