A special national holiday on September 7 is Titus Listopadnik: history, traditions, omens

Every year on September 7, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Titus the Apostle of Crete, a significant figure of early Christianity, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, who played an important role in the spiritual history of the Eastern Mediterranean. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Titus Listopadnik. In 2025, the date falls on a Sunday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on September 7th?

Saint Titus was born in the 1st century on the island of Crete into a noble pagan family. From a young age, he showed a deep interest in philosophy, poetry, and the sciences, and led a chaste and virtuous life, which set him apart from most of his peers.

According to legend, at the age of about 20, a mystical revelation came to the young man — Titus heard a voice from above, calling him to abandon paganism and turn to the true faith. Opening the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, the young man experienced a spiritual shock, recognizing in the lines of the ancient text his own state of mind. It was from this moment that his path to Christianity began.

When they found out about the preacher and miracle worker from Palestine in Crete, the local ruler, Titus' uncle, sent his nephew to Jerusalem. There the young man met Jesus Christ and witnessed His miracles, sufferings, death and Resurrection.

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Titus was with the apostles on the day of Pentecost (the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on the 50th day after the Resurrection of Christ), heard their appeal to the people, including in Cretan, and believed. After that, he was baptized by the Apostle Paul and became his closest disciple and companion in missionary travels.

Later, Paul ordained the saint bishop of Crete and entrusted him with the management of the growing Christian community on the island. Titus actively preached, destroyed pagan temples, and converted local residents to the new faith.

So, after his prayer, the statue of the goddess Diana was crushed right during the ceremony, and the construction of the temple of Zeus collapsed before it was completed. These events had a powerful resonance among the Cretans, many of whom renounced paganism and converted to Christianity.

The saint lived a long life, passing away at the age of 94. Before his death, according to legend, his face shone with a light similar to the sun.

Traditions of the national holiday Titus Listopadnik, celebrated on September 7

In Russia, on September 7, leaf fall began in the forests, and the mushroom season was coming to an end — this day was considered the last date for their collection (especially those that were going to be salted), later they lost their taste. Hence the popular name of the holiday — Titus Mushroom Picker, Titus Deciduous. The peasants condemned: "Saint Titus grows the last mushroom."

In the morning, the ancestors went to temples, where they prayed for family peace, the well-being of children and harmony in the home. After the service, they went to the forest to pick mushrooms. Also on this day, women were doing household chores, and men were working on the land, completing seasonal work.

A bathhouse was supposed to be visited on Titus Listopadnik. According to beliefs, steam on this day revitalized the body, cleansed and strengthened the spirit. There was also a tradition to wash your face in the morning with water, in which a silver object was placed the day before. It was believed that such a ritual would give vitality and energy.

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In 2025, the Orthodox holiday falls on a Wednesday.

Mushroom dishes were always present on the tables during the holiday. The housewives knead the dough in advance to bake fragrant pies with mushroom filling in the morning. Other treats were also prepared — rich mushroom soup, fried and salted mushrooms, each dish was a tribute to nature and its fruits. The sayings reflected the popular love for these gifts of the forest: "To be afraid of wolves is to be without mushrooms," "Those who like to bow to the ground will not remain without mushrooms."

The day was considered favorable for planned trips, shopping and thinking about future steps — it promised good luck in reasonable endeavors. According to legend, prophetic dreams occur on the night of Titus the Fallow, and they were tried to remember them as advice for the future.

What not to do on the Titus Listopadnik holiday on September 7th

On September 7, there were a number of prohibitions that the ancestors tried to strictly observe in order not to get into trouble. So, on a holiday, one should not disrespect mushrooms. There was a belief that those who trample or scatter even inedible or spoiled mushrooms for no reason risk getting injured in the forest, losing their way and getting lost for a long time.

It was recommended to avoid fly agarics with extreme caution. It was believed that touching them unnecessarily could bring discord into the home atmosphere and provoke quarrels in the family.

What else you can't do on September 7:

• taking children with them to the forest — the ancestors believed that the goblin could take the baby with him;
• to engage in construction and repair — what is built on this day will not last long;
• swearing and brawling can attract you to the house of illness;
• Guessing, especially in rainy weather, can lead to the evil eye.;
• to discuss dreams — a dream may lose its prophetic meaning.

Folk signs for September 7th

Signs that had developed over the centuries helped the peasants predict the coming weather and adjust to seasonal changes, so on September 7 they carefully observed nature.:

• there are a lot of mushrooms in the forest — the winter will be harsh and prolonged;
• birds are landing on the roofs — autumn will be long and cloudy;
• the leaves from the trees have fallen — to the early frosts;
• the leaves fall "face up" — to a cold snap, down — to a warm autumn;
• A child born on this day will find happiness in adulthood.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the national holiday Evtihiy Tichy.