A special holiday on August 5 is Trofim the Sleeper: history, traditions, omens

On August 5, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saints Trofim and Theophilus of Lycia, along with thirteen other martyrs who suffered during the persecution of Christians in the fourth century. In the folk tradition, the holiday was called Trofim Insomniac. At this time, the peasants were actively working in the field, and also began to harvest viburnum and raspberries, ripening by the end of summer. Hence the other name — Kalinniki-malinniki. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Tuesday. Izvestia tells us what customs, signs and prohibitions exist on this day.

The history of the national holiday Trofim Insomniac

According to the biography, Trofim and Theophilus lived at the turn of the III-IV centuries during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. The ruler pursued a harsh policy against Christians. During his reign, sacred writings and temples were destroyed, and believers were forbidden to gather for joint prayer.

All Christians pledged to publicly renounce Christ and perform sacrificial rites. Trofim and Theophilus refused to honor idols. Then they, along with 13 loyal servants, were captured and hanged on the "torment tree." They were tortured with iron, stoned, and then thrown into the fire. However, the martyrs remained unharmed and, having passed through all the trials, continued to glorify the Lord. Seeing that their faith could not be shaken, they were all sentenced to death.

The martyrdom of the righteous took place in the Asia Minor province of Lycia, according to another version — on the island of Crete. Later, the church established a memorial day for the saints. This date is not transitional and is celebrated annually on the same day, in early August.

Trofim and Theophilus are revered by the people as patrons of warriors and innocent victims. They pray for the strengthening of faith, healing from physical and spiritual ailments, protection from sinful temptations and the return of lost souls to the bosom of the church.

How Trofim the Sleepless was celebrated in Russia

In Russia, the holiday was associated with field work, which had to be completed before the beginning of autumn. On this day, the bread was mowed, reaped, and harvested. The peasants worked from early morning until sunset, sometimes forgetting about sleep. There are many proverbs and sayings about this: "You can't sleep on Trofim for a long time," "If you were worried, there would be no work," "If there is work, you don't want to sleep," "A good master and the day is small."

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It was possible to rest only at noon, during lunch. Meals were served right in the field to keep busy for a long time. In addition, they took a break to avoid encountering midday spirits, which in the old days were called spirits who took the form of young maidens and dressed in all white. Our ancestors believed that they appeared in the fields on Trofim's day, sending various misfortunes to the peasants: from sunstroke to fainting.

On the same day, they started harvesting raspberries and viburnum, which were valued for their healing properties. Jams, pies, various tinctures and medicinal decoctions were made from berries. Hence another name of the day — Kalinniki-malinniki. Viburnum twigs were also used as amulets. They were believed to protect against evil spirits and the evil eye. Twigs were hung on windows or at the entrance to the dwelling, laid out in the corners of the girls' bedroom or near the crib.

Unmarried girls, with the help of kalina, guessed at marriage. Berries were plucked from the bush and strung on a silk thread. According to legend, the one who has an even number of berries on the string will get married within a year. They also guessed at the filling of the pies. Whoever gets a sweet one, his love will be sweet, like raspberries. And if it's bitter, with viburnum, then the feelings will be unrequited.

What can and cannot be done on Trofim Insomniac

According to popular beliefs, weddings, hosting guests and starting any business are good on Trofimov's day — they will all turn out well. You can do absolutely any job: picking berries, making jam, making preparations for the winter, digging in the garden. But you should not be lazy, otherwise luck will turn away.

Housewives are not recommended to give a sample from the first jar of jam, even if you really want to treat your loved ones. In the old days, it was believed that then all the work would go down the drain — the blanks would spoil. At the same time, it is absolutely impossible to be greedy or refuse help on a holiday. The more generous the hosts are, the more successful the year will be.

Even on Insomnia Day, you should pay attention to your sleep — do not stay in bed for long periods in the morning and, if possible, give up daytime sleep. If you ignore this rule, you can "get sick" with insomnia.

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Folk signs of August 5th

Our ancestors attached great importance to weather signs. They were used to determine what the weather would be like in the coming days. According to observations, if fog is spreading across the fields the day before, then a clear day is expected on August 5. If the stars sparkle brightly before dawn, it leads to prolonged rain.

Other signs of the day:

• Pigeons hid in their nests — in bad weather;
• The owl makes loud noises, which leads to a cold snap;
• the ants have crawled out of the anthill — the day will be sunny.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and signs of the national holiday Onufriy the Silent.