A special holiday on November 11 is Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa: traditions, omens

Every year on November 11, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Anastasia of Rome and St. Avramius of Rostov. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Tuesday. In the national calendar, the holiday was called Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa. Read about its traditions, signs and prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on November 11th?

Anastasia of Rome was born in the 3rd century. At the age of three, she lost her parents and entered a convent near Rome to be raised. There, the saint took monastic vows. The beauty of the young Christian woman attracted the attention of the noble Romans. Many asked for her hand in marriage, but the girl rejected them, wanting to devote her life to serving God.

When Emperor Decius came to power, persecution of believers began in the country. Anastasia was forcibly taken from the monastery and brought before the city governor. She was accused of disrespecting the noble citizens of Rome and honoring Christ. The military commander Prov demanded that the saint sacrifice to idols, but she refused. For this, the martyr was tortured and executed. Cyril, a guard who brought dying water, was killed with her — he was mistaken for a secret Christian.

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Saint Avramius lived in the 11th century. At a young age, he left his parents' home and, having taken monastic vows, settled in Rostov. At that time, there were many followers of pagan beliefs in the Rostov region, and the monk made every effort to bring people back to Christianity.

According to legend, one day John the Theologian appeared to Abramius and presented him with a rod crowned with a cross. With his help, the saint smashed the idol, and on the site of the temple he founded a monastery in honor of the Epiphany and erected a temple in the name of the apostle. At the same time, his missionary work began to bear fruit: many pagans were baptized, convinced by the fiery word of the monk.

Avramius died at a very old age. His incorruptible relics were found during the reign of Grand Duke Vsevolod (1176-1212).

Traditions of the national holiday Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa on November 11

In Russia, Saints Avramius and Anastasia were called Avramius Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa. They were considered the patrons of sheep. To protect animals from diseases and predators, the ancestors left an icon of Anastasia of Rome on a tree next to the herd.

The Sheep Day was celebrated in the villages on November 11. On this day, shepherds sang special songs, played horns and congratulated their flocks on the end of the grazing season. The owners paid off the shepherds for their work and gave them gifts — they believed that the more fun the day would be, the healthier the cattle would be.

On Avramiy and Anastasia, the shepherds were traditionally treated to fried eggs and pies made from fresh flour. A special place in the festive meal was occupied by sheep and goat cheeses, which were prepared and served by women celebrating their name days on this day.

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Sheep shearing began in the northern regions of the country on November 11. During this procedure, a bundle of wool was placed in scissors as an offering to the goddess of fertility Makoshi. In the southern regions, on the contrary, sheep shearing was coming to an end. The resulting wool was used for spinning, knitting warm clothes and making winter clothes.

What not to do on November 11, the day of Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa

On the holiday of Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa, the ancestors tried to observe certain prohibitions so as not to get into trouble. Women were not recommended to walk with an open neck — instead, they should wear coral beads to attract good luck in household and love affairs. In the evening, the beads were hung in a prominent place to protect the house from evil spirits, and then washed with running water and put away.

What else can not be done on November 11

• staying alone leads to conflicts with loved ones or unhappiness.;
• Leaving children alone can scare them with evil spirits.;
• Wearing sheep's wool clothes is a disaster.;
• bringing strangers into the house — evil people can hide under the guise of well-wishers;
• arguing with your loved ones will be difficult to reconcile.;
• setting the table for unmarried girls can delay a meeting with a betrothed.;
• doing laundry — water can "wash away" family happiness.

Folk signs for November 11th

On the day of Avramiy Ovchar and Anastasia Ovechnitsa, the ancestors closely watched nature, hoping to find out what the weather would be like in the near future. So, if the pigeons cooed loudly near the house, they understood that the bad weather would soon recede. There were other signs, too:

• Pets sleep all day — winter will be cold;
• Crows often caw — for rain;
• wolves go out to the fields — misfortunes are coming (famine, epidemic, etc.);
• The clouds are moving slowly — towards frost.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and traditions of the Paraskeva Linyanitsa national holiday.