A special Russian holiday on April 10, Hilarion — turn out the shafts: traditions, omens, prohibitions

Every year on April 10, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Hilarion, Abbot of Pelikite, who lived at the turn of the VII–VIII centuries. In the national calendar, the day was called Hilarion — turn out the shafts, since the ancestors believed that from this date it was necessary to switch from winter to summer mode of transport. In 2025, the holiday falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions and folk signs in the Izvestia article.

Hilarion Day – 2025: the history of the holiday

St. Hilarion was born in 694. Since his youth, he has chosen the path of humility, seclusion, prayer and fasting. Hilarion stood out among his brethren for his piety, for which he was ordained a presbyter, and subsequently headed one of the most important monasteries of his time, Pelikitsky, located near the modern Dardanelles Strait.

The name of the monk is associated with numerous miracles. He became famous as a visionary and healer. According to legend, Hilarion prayed to heal the sick, especially the blind, protected crops from wild animals, was able to cause rain in a dry summer, could divide the waters of rivers or stop hail. He was considered the patron saint of farmers and fishermen, able, for example, to fill empty nets with fish.

However, the saint's biography is inextricably linked with one of the most tragic pages of church history — the period of iconoclastic persecution.

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In the spring of 754, on Holy Thursday, the Pelikite monastery was attacked by troops under the command of the military commander Lakhanodragon. The soldiers broke into the church when the liturgy was going on there. They destroyed the altar and desecrated the Holy Gifts (the consecrated bread and wine, symbolizing the Body and Blood of Christ). Hilarion was martyred, and 42 other monks were captured and subsequently executed. The other monks were severely tortured.

The saint left behind spiritual works that influenced the formation of the monastic tradition. His writings were highly appreciated by the Monk Joseph Volotsky, one of the greatest thinkers of Russian Orthodoxy. He relied on them in his theological reflections, where he also emphasized the importance of personal achievement, inner purity and indomitable will in defending church canons.

What holiday is celebrated in Russia on April 10, 2025

In the national calendar, this day was called Hilarion — turn out the shafts. Spring was finally coming into its own at this time. The snow melted quickly, the roads dried up, and the peasants removed the sledges, replacing them with carts — hence this figurative expression.

It was customary to start the day with a trip to the temple. The faithful prayed to St. Hilarion, asking for physical recovery, deliverance from corruption, the evil eye and mental suffering. Special hopes were pinned on the healing of eye diseases: the saint was revered as the patron saint of the blind.

During this period, preparations for active field work began in Russia. Also on April 10, it was decided to clean ice-free ponds and springs from debris and last year's foliage.

Primrose plants were given great importance on this day, especially the ancestors were waiting for the appearance of the mother and stepmother. Folk legends linked the origin of the plant with the story of the stepmother and stepdaughter: the velvety side of the leaf symbolized maternal care, and the smooth side — the coldness of the stepmother.

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On this day, a miracle happened, thanks to which many believed in the Savior.

In Russia, it was believed that this discreet flower has not only healing properties, but also sacred power. However, on St. Hilarion's Day, the mother-and-stepmother was not disrupted. It was believed that she had not yet gained healing powers before Easter.

The mother-and-stepmother decoction was used for colds, bronchitis, and fever. In addition, the plant was popularly endowed with magical powers. It was believed that a wreath made of it could protect a family from quarrels and hardship, and dried flowers were worn in pouches as amulets from loneliness.

Russian superstitions: what not to do on Hilarion Day

In Russia, a number of prohibitions were associated with the holiday. So, it was believed that swearing at Hilarion was dangerous, as the quarrel could drag on for a long time. It was not recommended to slam doors on this day, so as not to disturb the brownie, who, being angry, could deprive the house of comfort, prosperity, and the family of consent.

Also, on April 10, it was forbidden to turn out your pockets in order not to incur financial losses and poverty.

Folk signs on Hilarion Day

According to the weather on Hilarion Day, the peasants judged what the harvest would be like: if it rained on April 10, it was considered that it would be good.

Our ancestors also watched birds: if they fly low, they need to prepare for a hot, dry summer, and if they land on treetops, they should expect a warming soon.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the strictest prohibitions and omens on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.