A special holiday on September 18 is Zachary and Elizabeth: history, traditions, omens

Every year on September 18, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the Prophet Zachariah and the righteous Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. In the folk tradition, the holiday is called "Zachary and Elizabeth" or "Godfather's Day." In 2025, it falls on a Thursday. Why it was considered dangerous by the ancestors, what prohibitions and signs have survived to this day, read in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on September 18?

The Prophet Zachariah and the righteous Elizabeth were relatives of Jesus Christ. Their names are forever inscribed in the Holy Scriptures as an example of piety, patience, love and unconditional faith in God's providence.

Saint Zachariah served as a priest in the Jerusalem Temple. His wife, the righteous Elizabeth, according to church tradition, was the sister of Anna, the mother of the Most Holy Theotokos. Thus, she was the aunt of the Virgin Mary, and her son, John the Baptist (the Forerunner)— was a cousin of Jesus Christ.

Zachariah and Elizabeth lived in Hebron, led a pious lifestyle, but suffered from infertility, which in Old Testament times was considered God's punishment. But the saints did not stop praying, and as a reward for their faith, they were given the great news of becoming the parents of someone who would "prepare the way for the Lord."

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One day, the archangel Gabriel brought Zachariah the news of the imminent birth of his son. However, the saint doubted, for which he was temporarily deprived of the power of speech — until the birth of the child. According to a revelation from the Lord, Elizabeth insisted on the name John, contrary to the Jewish tradition of naming children after fathers and other members of the family. When the saint confirmed the choice by writing the same name on the tablet, his voice returned. He immediately began to prophesy about the great fate of the Forerunner of the Lord.

King Herod, having learned from the magi about the imminent birth of Christ, ordered the extermination of all infants under two years of age. He sought to destroy John as well, fearing that he was the Messiah. The righteous Elizabeth fled to the mountains with her baby and, according to legend, thanks to her fervent prayer, she was miraculously covered by a parted rock.

Zachariah, who refused to reveal his son's whereabouts, was killed right in the temple between the altar and the altar. His wife died 40 days later. Little John, protected by the Lord, remained in the desert, where, according to the Scriptures, he spent years "until the day of his appearance to Israel."

Traditions of the national holiday of Zachary and Elizabeth on September 18

In popular culture, Zachary and Elizabeth were considered patrons of the family, marriage and motherhood. On this day in Russia, people traditionally got married and arranged weddings, believing that marriages concluded on September 18 would be strong and happy. Childless women prayed to the saints for the gift of offspring, and men for the preservation of love and peace in the home.

The feast of Zachariah and Elizabeth was also called "Godfather's Day." Kumoha is an evil spirit that, according to legend, comes out of the forests and begins to bypass villages, bringing quarrels, diseases and troubles. To protect themselves from his machinations, the ancestors conducted special rituals.

Men went to the haylofts (it was believed that an evil spirit could hide there), pierced hay with pitchforks and read special spells. Birch trees occupied a special place in rituals — they were treated for protection, believing that this tree has powerful energy and can ward off any evil.

On September 18, they always went to the sauna, according to beliefs, steam on this day cleansed not only the body, but also the soul. To get rid of possible spoilage, it was customary to steam with birch brooms. They were also used to sweep the house in order to "sweep out" everything bad from the dwelling, including Kumoh, if he managed to get inside.

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The housewives got rid of old things, threw away everything superfluous and unnecessary, freeing the space from negativity. They believed that old things attract diseases and troubles.

Despite the disapproval of the church, people often guessed on September 18. The people believed that Zachariah's prophetic gift made this day especially suitable for fortune-telling. However, there was a strict rule — it was possible to do this strictly after 11 a.m., otherwise the ritual could turn against the fortune-teller.

What not to do on the holiday of Zachary and Elizabeth

According to beliefs, Zachariah and Elizabeth should be treated with caution — the ancestors believed that reckless actions could attract trouble, because on this day Kumokha walks the earth. On September 18, it was strictly forbidden to let strangers into the house, as evil spirits could enter the dwelling through them. It was also not necessary to work in the field in the afternoon — at that time, evil spirits were especially active and sought to harm a person.

What else you can't do on September 18:

• Wearing torn or dirty clothes can attract poverty and disease.;
• Washing bed linen can make you seriously ill.;
• to pick up bulk products (salt, sugar, cereals) — along with them, happiness and prosperity will "flow away" through your fingers.;
• quarreling between spouses is a risk that this will lead to discord and the collapse of family happiness.;
• swearing — bad words open the way for evil spirits;
• For unmarried girls, to leave the house with their hair down, witches can grab their hair and drag them to another world, or Kumoha will hide in her hair and enter the house.

Folk signs for September 18

On Zachariah and Elizabeth, the ancestors observed nature to determine what the weather would be like in the coming months:

• The leaves of the mountain ash have turned yellow — autumn will be cold and rainy, and winter will be early.;
• rowan has a lot of berries — it's worth waiting for a cold autumn and a harsh frosty winter.;
• frogs in the marshes have quieted down — in the coming days there will be a sharp deterioration in the weather;
• pets are hiding under a canopy — the rains will start soon;
• red clouds at dawn are a sign of bad weather.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and significance of the feast of the icon of the Mother of God "Burning Bush".