May 18 is a special Russian holiday by Arina Kapustnitsa: history, traditions and omens
- Новости
- Local news
- May 18 is a special Russian holiday by Arina Kapustnitsa: history, traditions and omens


On May 18, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Great Martyr Irina of Macedon, who converted more than 10 thousand people to Christ. the pagans. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Sunday. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Arina Kapustnitsa, or Seedling. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.
What is the holiday on May 18 — Arina Kapustnitsa
Saint Irene lived in the second half of the 1st century. Her father Licinius was the ruler of the region of Migdonia in Macedonia (modern territory of Greece). He built a luxurious palace for his daughter, where she lived surrounded by her peers and maids.
Mentor Apelian came to the girl every day to teach her various sciences. He was a Christian and, in addition to secular education, he tried to give his pupil spiritual support. When Irina got older, her parents thought about her marriage. Then the girl received a divine sign: a dove with an olive branch, an eagle with a wreath and a raven with a snake flew into her window in turn.
Apelian helped Irina interpret the sign. He explained that the dove is a symbol of purity, and the olive branch means grace, the eagle is a symbol of spiritual height, and the wreath in its claws is a reward for defeating an invisible enemy. Finally, a raven with a snake is a sign that the devil will try to lead the virgin astray and will cause her suffering. At the end of the conversation, the teacher pointed out that the Lord had chosen Irina to serve.
The girl was imbued with the words of her mentor and was baptized by the hands of the Apostle Timothy, a disciple of the Apostle Paul. After that, she refused to marry and tried to convince her parents to turn to God too. The mother rejoiced at her daughter's decision, and the father, who initially listened to her favorably, then began to demand the worship of idols. The girl refused, and then Licinius ordered her to be thrown under the hooves of the horses. But the animals did not touch the saint, trampling Licinius instead. Through Irina's prayer, her father came back to life and believed in Christ. 3,000 people who witnessed the miracle were baptized with him.
After that, the saint began to preach the gospel and convinced many pagans to renounce false idols. The new ruler of Migdon, Zedekiah, did not like this. He ordered Irina to be seized and thrown into a fetid pit with snakes, but the martyr remained unharmed. After that, she was subjected to even more terrible tortures, but neither fire nor iron did the girl any harm. Seeing this, about 10k Pagans were converted to Christianity. Soon the people, outraged by Zedekiah's cruelty and unbelief, expelled him.
Saint Irene, having received her freedom, went to other lands to preach about Christ. There she continued to perform miracles, heal the sick, and suffer for her faith. When the time came to leave her earthly life, the saint voluntarily retired to a cave, the entrance to which was blocked with a stone. When the believers came to visit her on the fourth day, the body was not inside.
Arina Kapustnitsa (Seedling) holiday traditions
The Orthodox Church does not impose any special prohibitions on the day of commemoration of Irina the Great. Believers can come to the temple, pray, and take part in a charity event. It will be useful to recall the life of the martyr and other saints venerated on May 18.
In Russia, the holiday in honor of St. Irina was called Arina Kapustnitsa, or Seedling, because at that time cabbage and cucumbers began to be planted in villages. Traditionally, this responsible task was entrusted to women, as they believed that male intervention would ruin the harvest. Before going out into the garden, they put on several layers of old clothes to look like cabbage.
On a holiday, it was supposed to cook a dish of cabbage. Although many people were running out of food, the housewives tried to get some sauerkraut for cabbage soup. Every family member had to try them to attract health and prosperity.
What can and cannot be done on the Arina Rassadnitsa holiday on May 18
In Russia, various superstitions and omens were associated with Arina Cabbage. Young girls did not visit widows and unmarried adult relatives on the holiday, as they believed that this could lead to loneliness.
On this day, they tried not to leave dirty dishes overnight so that the smell of food would not attract evil spirits. It was believed that anyone who disregarded this rule would deprive his family of harmony and well-being. They did not leave the house for Arina's Nursery after sunset, as it was supposedly possible to encounter evil spirits at night and bring various troubles upon themselves.
During the holiday, stumps and fallen trees lying near the house or garden were avoided. They were considered natural barriers to the dark forces, which cannot be crossed in order not to destroy the "protection".
In addition, on May 18, it was forbidden to gossip, slander and tell tall tales about other people, otherwise, according to beliefs, one could encounter toothache. Also, one should not complain about fate, so as not to aggravate the troubles.
Folk signs on May 18
The ancestors paid attention to the signs of Arina Cabbage, trying to calculate the best time for sowing or find out what the weather would be like. According to the condition of the beds, they judged what the summer would be like. If the plants needed a lot of water in the first days after planting, they were preparing for a dry summer. If the moisture was poorly absorbed, they expected a cool and moderately rainy season.
The bad weather on May 18 was considered a good sign: gloomy skies and precipitation foreshadowed a rich harvest of bread. Clouds moving from south to north indicated that it was going to rain soon. But geese and ducks, cleaning their feathers by the water, indicated the near warming.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions and signs of the Boris and Gleb Sower national holiday.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»