A special Russian holiday on May 29 — Fedor Zhitnik: history, traditions, omens

Every year on May 29, Orthodox believers remember St. Theodore the Blessed, the wonderworker, one of the outstanding representatives of monasticism of the IV century. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Fedor Zhitnik, because it was by this date that the peasants tried to complete the sowing work. In 2025, the holiday falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions, prohibitions and omens in the Izvestia article.

Feodor Zhitnik – 2025: the history of the holiday

Fyodor the Consecrated was born in Egypt in the 4th century into a wealthy Christian family. The young man received an excellent education, and his parents expected him to make a brilliant secular or scientific career.

However, already in his early youth, Theodore experienced a craving for spiritual life and at the age of 14 secretly entered a monastery, where he became a disciple of St. Pachomius the Great. Under his guidance, the young monk quickly succeeded, showing humility, obedience, and compassion.

Fyodor was the first to take the priesthood in the monastery. After the death of Pachomius, he headed the Tavennis monastery, and then all the monasteries of the Thebaid, contributing to their spiritual and organizational development. St. Athanasius the Great, Archbishop of Alexandria, one of the key theologians of his time, showed special respect to the monk.

For his faithfulness to the teachings of Christ and humility, Theodore received the gift of miracle-working from God.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated on May 29th

In the folk tradition, the feast of Fedor Zhitnik is celebrated on May 29. In Russia, all cereal crops were called bread. This day symbolized the end of the sowing campaign and the beginning of the wedding season. "The Granary cares about burying the barley field," the ancestors said.

In Russia, the day began with a visit to the church. The ancestors prayed to St. Theodore, asking for healing from diseases, relief from sorrows and protection of family well-being. It was believed that Theodore especially helps with headaches, as he himself suffered from this ailment in his youth. The believers also prayed for a good harvest.

There were many customs and traditions associated with Fyodor Zhitnik. The housewives believed that it was necessary to prepare and serve porridge for Fedor — barley, buckwheat, millet. According to legend, such a treat symbolized abundance and well-being.

Also on this day, it was necessary to prepare a "treat" for the brownie. It was believed that if you left him porridge with butter and sour cream, the guardian spirit of the house would protect the family from harm.

Bans on May 29: what not to do on Fedor Zhitnik

There were several prohibitions associated with the holiday. So, it was impossible to leave leftovers of food, it had to be given to birds or cattle to avoid poverty.

On May 29, girls were not recommended to try on their parents' wedding rings, so as not to invite infidelity and deception in a future marriage. They also shouldn't have braided their hair, so as not to be left without a groom. The bridesmaids' matching dresses were considered a bad omen.

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Another superstition of the day was related to the use of spoons, which, despite its apparent strangeness, was taken seriously. The peasants did not use this cutlery on a holiday, as they believed that violating this tradition could lead to misfortunes and troubles.

Folk signs on May 29

In Russia, Fedor Zhitnik was considered an important day for observing nature, especially the flowering of trees. The ancestors believed that if the bird cherry had already flown by this time, then the cold matinees were left behind. The rowan tree in full bloom promised a hot and stable summer, and the lilac flowers promised an abundance of berries and mushrooms. Thunder on this day was also perceived by the peasants as a harbinger of a rich harvest.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions, customs and signs of the national holiday of Pakhom Teply.