June 10 – Nikita Gusyatnik national holiday: history, traditions, omens

On June 10, Orthodox believers remember St. Nikita the Confessor, Bishop of Chalcedon, who lived in Byzantium in the late eighth and early ninth centuries and fought against the iconoclastic heresy. In the folk tradition, this day was called Nikita Gusyatnik or Poludnitsa. In 2025, it falls on a Tuesday. Read about the history, rituals, prohibitions and signs of the holiday that have come down to our days in the Izvestia material.

The story of Nikita Gusyatnik, celebrated on June 10

Saint Nikita lived in the 8th–9th centuries in Byzantium. According to legend, he was distinguished by great meekness and mercy, for which he was elevated to the rank of bishop of Chalcedon. During the persecution of Christians, he showed incredible courage, openly speaking out against the iconoclastic heresy, defending the veneration of holy images. For this, Emperor Leo the Armenian ordered the saint to be severely tortured and then sent into exile.

Despite suffering, St. Nikita remained steadfast in his faith. He died in exile, but even after his death his name was not forgotten. His relics became a source of miracles, with the sick receiving healing and the suffering receiving consolation. In memory of this saint, solemn divine services are held in churches, and his name is included in the Orthodox calendar.

Nikita Gusyatnik — 2025: holiday traditions

Folk tradition eventually gave the day of June 10 additional meanings. The saint became known as the "Goose House." The ancestors believed that he protects not only people, but also domestic birds, especially goslings, protecting young animals from diseases, predators and the evil eye. Therefore, during the holiday in Russia, special attention was paid to goslings, ducklings and other birds.

It was believed that Nikita should not be shouted at by birds, as this could bring trouble to the household. The women cooked a special porridge early in the morning and added holy water or milk to it to feed the young and gain the patronage of the saint. After the morning ceremony, the peasants went to church, where they prayed for the health of their loved ones and the welfare of their pets.

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There was also a tradition in Russia to fumigate houses with wormwood on Nikita Gusyatnik. The peasants believed that it helped to exorcise evil spirits and avert the evil eye. The villagers also believed that during this period the noonday spirits became active, which, according to legends, took the form of women and appeared in the fields. Hence the other name of the holiday — Noon.

According to beliefs, spirits could be both kind, shielding wheat from the sun, and evil, burning crops with a frying pan reflecting light. Because of the fear of noon, girls tried not to go out into the field in the middle of the day, especially unmarried ones. It was believed that the spirits could drag them into an endless dance, from which they would not be able to get out. Those who managed to dance the midday witches were promised good luck and marriage.

Bans on June 10: what not to do on Nikita Gusyatnik

Despite the fact that the church did not impose strict restrictions on June 10, in the folk tradition this day was considered especially dangerous. Men were forbidden to work in the fields at noon, so as not to encounter the noonday spirits and lose their physical strength. The housewives tightly closed the windows and doors, protecting the house from uninvited otherworldly guests, and at the entrance they hung branches of wormwood to ward off evil spirits.

On this day, it was necessary to observe silence and avoid quarrels. It was strictly forbidden to raise your voice at children. The ancestors believed that any anger shown at Nikita Gusyatnik could turn into trouble or illness in the family. Animals should be treated with the utmost care. The ancestors believed that if they showed indifference, the bird could die.

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Folk signs of June 10

Nikita Gusyatnik's holiday has incorporated many natural signs related to the weather. So, the ancestors considered morning dew a good sign, promising a rich harvest of wheat. The clear and windless weather during the day meant that the labors of the peasants would be rewarded, and the year would be fertile.

The behavior of birds, animals, and insects was also observed in villages. Geese flapping their wings and brushing their feathers warned of the coming rain. If the ants were actively swarming around their nests, they waited for a long period of good weather. And lizards crawling out into the sun foreshadowed wind or thunderstorms.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the strict prohibitions and dangerous signs of the Holy Trinity holiday.