A special holiday on September 4 is Agafon Borage: history, traditions, omens
Every year on September 4, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the holy Martyr Agathonikos of Nicomedia, who lived in the IV century. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Agafon Borage, or Borage. On this day, the ancestors were afraid of forest spirits, guarded the threshing floor and treated the brownies. In 2025, it falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.
What is the church holiday on September 4th?
Agathonikos lived in Nicomedia in the fourth century during the period of the most severe persecution of Christians unleashed by Emperor Maximian. The saint came from the noble family of Hippasiev, received a brilliant spiritual education, and knew the Holy Scriptures perfectly. Having chosen the path of serving Christ in his youth, he devoted himself to missionary work.
Thanks to Agathonikos' sermons, many pagans, including high—ranking officials, converted to Christianity, including the Princeps, the first member of the Senate. This provoked the emperor's anger. By order of Maximian, the official Eutolmius was sent to the region with the task of identifying and punishing those who spread faith in Jesus. During this punitive mission, Agathonikos and his associates, Theoprepius (also known as Bogolep), Akindin, Severian, Zoticus, Zinon and others were captured.
After severe tortures, the martyrs were taken to Thrace, where they were judged by the ruler himself. However, the road became their last test. Weakened by wounds and hardships, Akindin, Zoticus and Theoprepius were soon unable to continue their journey and were executed. A little later, Severian suffered a similar fate.
Agathonik reached the city of Silivria, where he was subjected to the last torments and beheaded. The saint's last words were addressed to God — he left with a prayer on his lips. His relics now rest in Constantinople.
Traditions of the national holiday Agafon Borage, celebrated on September 4
In the folk tradition, the day of veneration of Agathonikos of Nicomedia was transformed into the holiday of Agathon Borage (or Borage). Its name comes from the word "threshing floor" — that's how barns were called in Russia, in which sheaves of grain were stored after harvest.
The ancestors believed that on September 4, these outbuildings became very vulnerable to the tricks of evil spirits, especially the goblin, who came out of the woods and caused real riots in the yards, scaring people and harming them.
To protect the grain and the house from evil spirits, men in Russia performed a special ceremony — they put on sheepskin coats inside out, tied a towel around their heads, took a poker or other metal object and outlined a circle around the barn. It was believed that leshi would not be able to cross this border. The peasants also believed that Saint Agathonikos helped protect the farm, and there was a special saying for this occasion: "Agathon drives the goblins out."
The women on Agathon tried to appease the house and yard spirits. In the morning, they baked pies and left them in places where, according to beliefs, they could live — in the bathhouse, at the stove, in the stable, in the attic. Treats, according to beliefs, softened the temper of otherworldly forces and guaranteed peace of mind in the house.
The housewives themselves tried not to eat their cooking on the holiday — according to beliefs, in order to preserve youth, health and natural beauty, the first meal should begin only after sunset.
The Agathon Borage holiday was considered by the ancestors to be a time of good deeds, correct behavior was perceived as protection from evil spirits.
On this day, it was also necessary to:
- Spending time at work;
- be kind-hearted and honest in your actions;
- to take care of others, and not only about people, but also about animals, birds, plants — it was believed that the forest spirit helps the good, but takes revenge on the evil.
What not to do on September 4th
On Agafon, the ancestors tried not to go into the forest because of the activity of evil spirits - according to beliefs, it was possible to meet a goblin in the thicket and disappear without a trace.
What else you can't do on September 4th:
- accepting and giving gifts — with a new thing, other people's troubles may come, and along with the presented gift, luck may "drain away".;
- Talking about plans out loud — they won't come true;
- Going on long trips can end badly.;
- leaving the house unnecessarily — you can meet evil spirits.;
- complaining about troubles will bring even more troubles.
Folk signs for September 4th
On Agathon Borage, the ancestors carefully observed nature to determine what autumn and winter would be like.:
- the day is sunny — there are four weeks of heat ahead, and the whole autumn is expected to be warm;
- cold and damp — winter will be early and harsh;
- few mushrooms and lots of nuts — for a snowy and frosty winter;
- The spiders spin their webs high — towards the cold months of December, January and February.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the national holiday Thaddeus the Preacher.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
