Folk signs for October 31: what can and cannot be done

In Russia, omens were given special importance. They were used to determine when to start and finish agricultural work, when to put household buildings and houses in order, when to have weddings and go on a trip. The national calendar was full of beliefs and rituals. Izvestia tells about the signs of October 31 and the church holidays that fall on this date.

Folk signs for October 31, 2025

The national holiday on October 31st received a telling name — Luka the Hungry. It was believed that excessive eating on this day could lead to scarcity and hunger next year, so the table was modest. Another name, Lukov Day, reflected the main ritual food of that day. The peasants believed that the onion, eaten on October 31, had maximum healing power.: it is able to pull out all diseases, strengthen health and protect against winter ailments.

Fairs were held in the villages on Luka. They believed that the more onions there were on the shelves, the calmer the winter would be and the richer the harvest next year. On this day, the girls were guessing at their betrothed, peeling an onion: if they managed to take off three "clothes", then they could expect a marriage proposal soon. The husks were not thrown away, but kept until Easter to bring the desired marriage closer.

St. Luke the Apostle: an outstanding life, ministry and martyrdom

Weather signs on the Bow helped predict the nature of the approaching winter. If it snowed in the morning, they understood that the real cold would not come soon.

Other signs of the day:

• The night sky is overcast, leading to prolonged bad weather;
• a cat sharpens its claws on furniture — to the stormy wind;
• The birds were up in the morning, ready for the cold and inclement weather;
• The wind is from the north — it will get colder soon.

What not to do on October 31

Strict prohibitions were associated with the day of Luke the Hungry, designed to protect people from troubles, diseases and financial losses. Violation of these rules, according to beliefs, could bring misfortune to the whole family. So, on the holiday, they tried not to overeat, so as not to interfere with the onion cleansing the body and not face hunger in the future.

What else can not be done on October 31

• to lend money or things — you can permanently lose a loved one or a friend.;
• going to the forest is an evil spirit, active on this day, can lure a traveler into the thicket and not let him out.;
• Breaking branches and chopping down trees is a high risk of serious injury.;
• to woo and have a wedding — a marriage concluded on this day will be unhappy and short-lived.

What is the church holiday on October 31

On October 31, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Luke the Apostle. He was the author of two canonical books of the New Testament, one of the four Gospels and the Acts of the Holy Apostles. It is believed that his Gospel, written under the guidance of the Apostle Paul, is the most historically accurate and detailed. In addition, Luke became the founder of icon painting. He created the first icons of the Mother of God, as well as the Apostles Peter and Paul. After the martyrdom of the Apostle Paul, he continued to preach in various countries and was martyred in Thebes, Greece.

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Also on October 31, believers remember St. Joseph of Volotsk (in the world of Ivan Sanin), who lived in the XV–XVI centuries. He was born into a pious family, his parents died as monks, and two of his three brothers also took vows. At the age of seven, the boy was sent to study with the elder of the Volokolamsk Holy Cross Monastery, Arseny. Later, he became a monk of the Borovsky Monastery, where he spent 18 years of his life.

After the death of the abbot, the leadership of the Borovskaya monastery passed to Joseph. The saint tried to introduce a strict cenobitic rule in the monastery, but met with the discontent of the brethren and was forced to resign his post. In 1479, he founded his own Dormition Monastery near Volokolamsk, known as the Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery. St. Joseph educated a galaxy of outstanding archpastors and is known as an active fighter against heresy. He was canonized in 1578 as a locally venerated saint, and in 1591 as an all—Russian. His relics were found incorruptible and are kept in the monastery he founded.

Prayers for October 31

Orthodox believers pray to the Apostle Luke on October 31. He is considered the patron saint of doctors, which is why medical students and working professionals often turn to him for help in difficult situations. The apostle is also asked for spiritual insight, healing from diseases, restoring justice and strengthening faith. They pray to St. Joseph of Volotsk for protection from harmful influences and false teachings, strengthening in virtues, and helping orphans and widows.

Prayer to the Apostle Otto and the Evangelist Luke

"O holy servant of God, the Apostle Luke! Having labored with a good deed on earth, you have perceived in heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. Looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your residence and honor your holy memory. But you, standing before the Throne of God, accept our supplications and offer them to the All-merciful God, that He may forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, diseases, troubles and misfortunes, and all evil, we may live piously and righteously in our present age and be worthy of your intercession, even if we are unworthy. May you see the good in the lands of the living, glorifying God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen to that."

Prayer to St. Joseph of Volotsk

"O great mentor, zealot, and teacher of the Orthodox faith, Holy Sage Joseph! Accept the supplication of us sinners offered to you, and with warm intercession implore the glorified God in the Trinity, that He may bestow His rich mercy on us sinners, that He may establish the right faith and piety in His Holy Orthodox Church: may He give holy zeal to its shepherds for the salvation of the verbal flock, so that believers may be preserved, as well as unbelievers and those who have fallen away from The true faiths will bring you to reason and convert you. Ask for all of us everything that is necessary in this temporal life and useful for our eternal salvation. Remember your flock, which you have gathered, do not forget to visit your children, and, like a child-loving father, do not despise or reject our supplications, but lift up your hands of prayer to the Lord God, so that His righteous wrath may be set aside against us, and deliver us from enemies visible and invisible, from famine and flood, swords, deadly plagues, foreign invasions, and internecine warfare. To her, our most merciful intercessor, most glorious wonderworker, guide us all in peace and repentance, end our lives, and be filled with hope in the blessed village of Paradise, where the holy name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is unceasingly glorified. Amen to that."

Earlier, Izvestia told about the signs of the national holiday Hosea Kolesnik.