August 4 — Good day to Mary (Maria Yagodnitsa): history, traditions, omens
Every year on August 4, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Mary Magdalene, Equal—to-the-Apostles, a faithful follower of Christ and one of the myrrh-bearing wives. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Monday. In the national calendar, the holiday was called Mary's good day or Maria Yagodnitsa. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.
The history of the church holiday Mary Magdalene Day on August 4
Mary Magdalene was born in Galilee. Since childhood, she suffered from demonic possession, but after meeting with Christ she was completely healed. According to legend, the Savior exorcised seven demons from the girl. Then she was baptized and, together with other pious women, became one of the closest followers of the Son of God.
Mary Magdalene stayed by Christ's side during the most difficult moments of his earthly life. After Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, when even the apostles denied their teacher, she retained faith in Him. Mary stood next to the Mother of God and John the Theologian during the sufferings of the Savior on the Cross, sharing grief with his Mother. She also accompanied the body of the Son of God at the burial.
On the third day after Christ's execution, Mary, along with other women, went to his tomb to pay him her last respects by anointing his body with myrrh (aromatic oil). She was the first to come to the cave where Jesus was buried, and the first to have the honor of seeing the risen Savior. Rejoicing, she returned to the apostles with the words "Christ is risen!" Subsequently, this phrase formed the basis of the greeting that believers pronounce on Easter.
Another Easter tradition is associated with the acts of Mary Magdalene. After the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, the closest disciples of Christ went to preach all over the world. Mary also went to preach the gospel of the Resurrection of the Lord. She secured a meeting with the Roman Emperor Tiberius (Tiberius) and told him about the miracle. As proof, the saint showed the ruler an egg that turned red in her palms. In memory of this event, believers treat each other with colored eggs on Easter.
In the following years, Mary lived in Ephesus, helping to preach to the Apostle John the Theologian. The saint died there, and in the 9th century her relics were transferred to Constantinople. During the Crusades, they were transported to Rome, where they were laid in the church of St. John Lateran. In the 13th century, the relics were placed in the church named after Mary Magdalene, where they are kept to this day.
Traditions of the national holiday of Mary good day (Maria Yagodnitsa) on August 4
In Russia, the holiday in honor of Mary Magdalene was called Mary's good day or Maria Yagodnitsa. Women who revered the saint as their patroness and intercessor were especially waiting for him. They prayed to her for protection from diseases, for exorcism, for peace and well-being in the family.
Traditionally, on Mary's Day, all field work was canceled — it was believed that the saint could get angry at those who treat her memory without proper respect and strike sinners with lightning. However, they did not completely abandon work on the holiday, because the house also required attention. The housewives were engaged in cooking, cleaning and continued to make preparations for the winter. To attract finances and prosperity to the house, the windows were swept with a birch broom left over from Trinity.
The villagers also went to pick raspberries on Maria Yagodnitsa. It was believed that the berry harvested on the holiday would be especially healthy and tasty.
The dew that falls on August 4 was called silver in Russia. According to popular beliefs, it could prolong youth, strengthen health and make the skin smooth. Therefore, early in the morning, women went outside to wash their faces with it. Dew was also added to the food and drinks of the sick to make them recover faster.
What can and cannot be done on Marya good day (on Marya Yagodnitsa) on August 4th
The Orthodox Church does not impose any special prohibitions on Mary Magdalene Memorial Day. Believers can visit the temple or pray to the saint at home. In Russia, Maria Yagodnitsa was associated with superstition. In addition to working in the field, there were other prohibitions.
What not to do on the feast of Mary good day on August 4th:
- to release cattle onto the grass covered with dew — it was believed that after that the animals could get sick.;
- to plant flax, crops will not sprout, and those that germinate will lose their useful properties.;
- laughing out loud — riotous fun could attract the attention of evil spirits;
- quarreling with loved ones, making scandals — there is a risk of destroying the relationship forever.
Folk signs of August 4th
In Mary's good day in Russia, they paid attention to various weather signs. If the frogs were sitting in the water during the holiday, they understood that there would be no rain in the near future. If the frogs jumped ashore, they were preparing for heavy rains. There were other signs, too:
- The thunderstorm on August 4 leads to a rich grain harvest and an abundance of hay;
- fog at dawn — the day will be sunny;
- The thunder is booming without stopping — there will be hail.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and prohibitions of the national holiday Elijah's Day.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
