A special Russian holiday on May 1 is Kuzma the Ogorodnik: history, traditions, omens

Every year on May 1, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Cosmas, Bishop of Chalcedon, who lived in Constantinople in the 9th century during the iconoclastic heresy. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Kuzma Ogorodnik. In 2025, it falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

Kuzma Ogorodnik — 2025: the history of the holiday

Cosmas was born in Constantinople at the beginning of the 9th century. Being a Christian, he decided from a young age to devote himself to monastic life and the struggle against the iconoclastic heresy that had seized Byzantium.

During the reign of Emperor Leo the Armenian, the saint defended the right to venerate icons, refusing to remove them from the temple, for which he was exiled and lost his pulpit. Despite his ordeals, Kosma remained an unyielding defender of the Orthodox faith until the end of his days.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated on May 1

In Russia, the Kuzma Ogorodnik holiday was inextricably linked with the agricultural cycle. The peasants believed that it was on this day that field work should begin. The people on this occasion condemned: "Kuzma came, looked into the cellars, took a shovel, and dug up the earth from the hut."

Usually, on May 1, the beds were prepared, beets, turnips and carrots were sown. Moreover, the work was assigned exclusively to women, because they believed that what was planted by a man would not bear fruit.

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Kuzma Ogorodnik had a tradition of soaking seeds in special secret springs before sowing, which were called votive students. At dawn, women threw copper coins at the bottom of these springs as a sign of gratitude for the future harvest.

In some regions, the seeds were soaked for three days in a row at dawn, strictly observing secrecy. It was believed that envious glances could ruin crops.

The cuckoos were treated with special reverence on this day. It was customary for these birds to ask about their life expectancy: "Cuckoo, cuckoo, tell me how many years I have left to live."

What can and cannot be done on the Kuzma Ogorodnik holiday

Kuzma the Ogorodnik was considered a celebration of diligence and purity of thought. It was customary to work on this day, and idleness was perceived as a grave sin leading to lack of money. It was forbidden to quarrel, raise your voice, or gamble. Our ancestors believed that such actions could result in financial losses and health problems.

Special attention was paid to the appearance. Dirty clothes on this day symbolized unfavorable changes in life.

According to the beliefs of Kuzma the Gardener, in no case should you eat a single seed from those that are intended for sowing. The people believed that if this prohibition was violated, the worms would destroy the entire future crop.

Folk signs for Kuzma the Gardener

Observations of the weather on Kuzma Ogorodnik served as a kind of forecast for the coming summer. A warm day heralded a drop in air temperature at the end of May, while a cold day indicated a fertile year.

Heavy rains in early May pleased farmers, as they were considered the key to a rich harvest. In addition, the precipitation promised a good bite.

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It was also a good omen to get caught in the first May rain on Kuzma's day. According to popular beliefs, the hair after that became silky, and the health was strong.

The ancestors believed that dreams on the night of April 30th to May 1st were prophetic. Young people expected to see their betrothed in them, and the older generation expected to see long—lost lovers.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the national holiday Antip Vodogon.