July 8 is the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity: the history and traditions of the family holiday

Every year on July 8, Russia celebrates the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity, designed to remind of the importance of mutual understanding and the strength of family ties. This date is timed to coincide with the memorial day of Orthodox Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, whom the Christian Church reveres as an example of marital fidelity and spiritual closeness. In 2025, it falls on a Tuesday. How the holiday appeared, and what traditions are associated with it, read the Izvestia article.

Family, Love and Fidelity Day – 2025: the history of the holiday

The holiday received official status in 2022 by decree of the President of Russia. The date was not chosen by chance — on July 8, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patrons of marriage, whose life has become a symbol of dedication, mercy and indestructible love.

The revival of interest in the history of these saints began in the 1990s in Murom, a city with which their legend is inextricably linked. It was here that the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity was first celebrated, suggesting that it should be made an alternative to the Western Valentine's Day. The initiative has gained support from the Russian Orthodox Church and has attracted the interest of the federal authorities.

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In 2008, the holiday went beyond the borders of Murom and received an all-Russian scale, and in 2022 it gained official status.

The symbol of the celebration was the daisy, a flower that embodies purity, tenderness and constancy. This image is used in festive symbols, souvenirs and postcards, the so-called febronki.

Who are Peter and Fevronia: the legend that marked the beginning of the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity

The biographies of the saints are described in a story created by the monk Ermolai-Erasmus in the XVI century on the basis of Murom legends. It tells us that Peter was the younger brother of Prince Pavel. When evil appeared in Murom in the form of a tempting serpent, seducing the princess, Peter was able to defeat him using the Agric sword. However, during the battle, the monster's blood got on his body, causing leprosy.

Not a single doctor could help the prince, so the patient went to Ryazan, where the girl Fevronia, the daughter of a beekeeper, who was able to miraculously heal ailments, lived. She agreed to help on the condition that Peter would marry her. The man promised to marry her, but then broke his word, fearing an unequal marriage. After that, the disease returned, and the prince returned to the girl with repentance. As a result, Peter was healed, and Fevronia became his wife.

After his brother's death, Peter took the throne of Murom. The boyars did not accept the princess of low birth and demanded her expulsion, but her husband preferred love to the throne and left Moore with his wife. The city was soon in turmoil, and the people themselves asked the princely couple to return.

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Peter and Fevronia lived a long life filled with mutual care and loyalty, and in their old age they took monastic vows and went to different monasteries. In prayer, they asked God to let them die one day, and their request was answered. However, the monks, despite the will to bury the couple together, separated the bodies. The next morning, they miraculously found themselves in the same coffin again.

In 1547, Peter and Fevronia were canonized. Now their relics rest in the Holy Trinity Convent in Murom.

Traditions of celebrating the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity

Traditionally, Moore becomes the center of celebration of the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity. Festive divine services are held here every year in the monastery, where the relics of Peter and Fevronia rest.

Festivals, concerts, fairs, and theatrical performances are also held on this day. A special atmosphere is created by mass family processions and the awarding of the medal "For Love and Fidelity" to couples, which has already become an integral part of the celebration. This award is given to spouses who have been married for at least 25 years.

In many Russian cities, libraries, museums, and cultural centers host interactive programs, themed exhibitions, and educational projects. Services are held in churches with prayers for the preservation of marriage, family picnics, quizzes and concerts are organized in parishes.

On this day, gifts with the symbols of daisies are especially popular: souvenirs, bouquets, postcards, handicrafts. Many couples arrange photo shoots, spend the day in nature, or go on trips. Lovers often choose July 8 as their wedding date, considering this number to be a symbol of a happy and strong union.

Earlier, Izvestia told when and how Orthodox Christians celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist.