A special holiday on September 14 is Simeon the Pilot: history, traditions, omens

Every year on September 14, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Simeon Stylites, Archimandrite of Antioch, and also celebrate the church New Year, which is called Novoletiye. In the national calendar, the date is called Semenov Day, or Letovodets. In 2025, it falls on a Sunday. Read about the history of the holiday, its traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on September 14th?

Saint Symeon Stylites was born in the middle of the fourth century in Antioch in Syria into a poor but pious family. In his youth, he heard chants of the beatitudes in the temple and felt an irresistible desire for a righteous life, began to pray, asking God for guidance. According to legend, he had a vision — he was digging the earth, and a voice told him to dig deeper until he said: "Now build — there is no success without work." This image became a symbol of his entire spiritual life.

At the age of 18, Simeon took monastic vows and soon became famous for strict fasting and continuous prayer. A few years later, he went into the desert, where he initiated the feat of stylization (a pillar is an open elevated platform, a stone, a tower on which continuous prayer is performed).

The monk built a 45-meter-high pillar, enclosing it with a fence, on which he settled. It was possible to be on it only standing, without the opportunity to sit down or lie down. The hermit endured the heat, cold, and rains, eating soaked wheat and water, and praying in the open air.

The fame of the unusual feat has spread far beyond the borders of Syria. People from different countries came to the pillar to hear Simeon's instructions. Many, inspired by his words and example, converted to Christianity. According to legend, the saint performed numerous healings and prophesied. His influence on his contemporaries was very great, and patriarchs, bishops, and emperors addressed him. Theodosius II and his wife Evdokia, and later Emperor Marcian, personally communicated with the hermit, accepting his spiritual advice.

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After the Mother of God, he is revered more than other saints.

The monk lived for more than 100 years, 47 of which were at the top of the pillar. Subsequently, a monastery was founded on this site, which became a pilgrimage center.

Also, on September 14 (September 1, old style), the Orthodox Church celebrates a special date — the Church New Year, or the beginning of the indicta, one of the minor feasts of the Lord, marking the beginning of a new liturgical year.

The New Age dates back to the Byzantine calendar from the creation of the world. Despite the fact that the Old Russian chronology began on March 1 for a long time, already in the XIII century, the order of letoprovodstvo was performed on the territory of Russia. Since the 15th century, September 1 has officially become the beginning of the civil year. The Moscow and Novgorod editions of the rite included the consecration of water, the washing of icons, festive prayers, as well as the participation of the tsar — in the Kremlin he received the blessing of the Patriarch and addressed the people.

The last rite was performed on September 1, 1699 in the presence of Peter I. Already in 1700, by the decree of the tsar, the beginning of the civil year was postponed to January 1, and the solemn service of the pilot house was abolished.

Today, the Church New Year has retained its significance in Orthodox liturgical life. It continues to be celebrated as a minor Lord's feast and symbolizes spiritual renewal and entry into a new cycle — prayerfully, with gratitude and hope for the well-being of the coming year.

Traditions of the national holiday Simeon the Letoprovodets, celebrated on September 14

In Russia, St. Simeon's memorial day symbolized the beginning of a new natural and agricultural cycle. According to legend, on September 14, autumn officially came into its own, hence the names of the holiday — Simeon the Summer Guide, Semin Day, Autumn Days.

In addition, the word "summer" in the Old Russian language meant "year", so the date opened a new "summer" — a new cycle of life. In Russia, they prepared for it in advance. The housewives set rich tables, baked pies, and invited girls from the neighborhood to visit so that local boys could take a closer look at future brides. In well-to-do houses, it was customary to put pitchers of beer and braga outside the gates, inviting everyone to taste the treat.

The holiday was accompanied by round dances, songs, fortune-telling and feasts. It was revered as an important milestone at the turn of the seasons and celebrated with the hope of prosperity and harvest next year.

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In 2025, the event falls on a Tuesday.

On this day, women began "women's work" — kneading and ruffling hemp, washing flax, spinning, paying attention to how the threads fit. They used them to guess at the future spouse. If the thread went smoothly, the husband will be calm, if it went astray, fate with his spouse will be restless. The men tried to complete the sowing of rye, but they should not have done so after the New Year — there would be no harvest anyway.

On the night of September 14, all the fire in the house was extinguished, except for the lamp, and in the morning a new one was lit — a "living fire" produced by friction. Traditionally, this was done by a local medicine man, and a young woman was supposed to be the first to light a splinter from him, which symbolized the beginning of the new year.

Another rite of the Seventh Day is the ritual burial of flies and other insects. They were put in "coffins" made of vegetables and buried away from the house, so that cleanliness and prosperity would reign in the home in the new year.

What not to do on the Simeon Letoprovodets holiday on September 14th

The ancestors believed that in order to preserve prosperity, health and mental balance, a number of prohibitions should be strictly observed on September 14. So, on Semenov Day in Russia, salt was given special importance. The housewives conducted an audit of her stocks, according to the belief, the more thorough they are, the more luck there will be in the family.

It was strictly forbidden to borrow salt, since along with it it was possible to "give away" family well-being.

What else you can't do on September 14th:

• to do the cleaning, sweep the floor — you can "sweep out" luck and attract family troubles to the house.;
• to throw away food — so that hunger would not occur in the family, the ancestors gave leftover food to animals or those in need.;
• complaining about fate, indulging in sad thoughts — poverty and unhappiness can linger in the family for a long time.;
• starting important things or going on the road — the process will not be successful, there will be many obstacles.;
• to quarrel, to show stubbornness — conflicts started on this day will drag on for a long time.

Folk signs for September 14th

On Semyonov Day in Russia, peasants observed nature to determine what weather to expect in the coming months:

• It's warm and sunny outside — the winter will be mild;
• flocks of migratory birds are visible — frosts will come early;
• flies become especially annoying when the weather changes.;
• cloudy morning — autumn will be rainy;
• Lots of cobwebs for a clear and cold autumn;
• The starlings have not flown away — the autumn will be long and dry.;
• wild ducks are sitting on the water — winter will be delayed.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and signs of a special national holiday Kupriyanov Day.