March 29 — Savvin or Cart Day: history, traditions, omens

Every year on March 29, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the martyr Savin of Ermopolis, who suffered for his faith at the end of the third century. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Saturday. In the national calendar, this holiday was called Savvin or Cart Day. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

Savin's Day in 2025 — the history of the holiday

Saint Savin was born in the Egyptian Hermopolis in the 3rd century. He came from a noble family and was respected by his compatriots, so he was able to take the position of head of the city.

During the reign of Emperor Diocletian, persecution of Christians began throughout the Roman Empire, which then included some territories of Egypt. Being a deeply religious man, Savin left his post, left all his possessions and secretly left Hermopolis, settling together with other Christians in a small village.

Living far from his homeland, Savin devoted his time to fasting and prayer, as well as helping those in need. From his modest savings, he gave alms to the poor, shared food and clothes with the homeless. At the same time, the emperor's soldiers continued to search for the fugitive saint.

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One day, a beggar who had received money, food, and basic necessities from Savin more than once turned to the pagan soldiers with the question: "What will you give me so that I can show you the one you are looking for, Savin?" For two gold coins, the traitor revealed the location of his benefactor. The saint and his companions were captured. They were forced to worship idols at the trial, but none of the martyrs renounced their faith in Christ. They were tortured and executed for this.

National holiday Cart Day on March 29 — traditions and prohibitions

In Russia, on St. Savin's memorial day, preparations for planting were actively carried out. Special attention was paid to putting in order the main agricultural transport — carts. It was repaired, oiled and tested for durability so that in the summer, at the height of the season, not to worry about cargo transportation. Hence the second name of the holiday — Cart Day.

After the "technical inspection", the men harnessed a horse to a cart and drove slowly through the village, listening to the wheels. It was believed that by sound you can determine what awaits a person in the future. The creak of the right front wheel promised wealth, and the left front wheel promised disease. The creaking of the rear right wheel was a good omen, it promised good luck in any business. If the creaking came from the rear left wheel, they understood that the owner was in debt and financial difficulties.

Our ancestors believed that Savva's day was the most favorable for making purchases, both planned and spontaneous. According to popular beliefs, an item purchased on this day will serve the owner for many years.

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Despite the condemnation from the church, they actively read fortune-telling on the cards on the holiday. Fortune-telling techniques were secretly passed down from generation to generation, so queues often lined up for people who knew how to look into the future.

Various prohibitions were associated with Cart Day. It was believed that one should not lend money on a holiday, so as not to lose one's well-being. The furnace was not heated on March 29, as they believed that this could lead to the illness of a relative. According to beliefs, it was also not worth throwing out the trash on this day, otherwise you could lose family happiness. Women did not do hard work, otherwise they were in danger of failure.

Folk signs for Savva's day on March 29

During the holiday, our ancestors paid attention to the surrounding nature. According to folk signs, if it was warm and sunny on Savva's day, the whole spring will be the same. If the birds were swimming in puddles, they expected a warming soon. Heavy precipitation on March 29 promised a lean year, and fog in the morning meant a rainy summer.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and signs of Alexander Day.