A special holiday on December 16 is Ivan the Silent: history, traditions, omens
Every year on December 16, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. John the Silent, one of the famous ascetics of the fifth century. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Tuesday. In the national calendar, it is called Ivan the Silent. Read about the history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions of the holiday in the Izvestia article.
What is the church holiday on December 16?
St. John was born around the year 454 in the Armenian city of Nicopolis. From a young age, the future saint fell in love with solitude and prayer. After the death of his parents, he distributed part of his inheritance to the poor, and directed the rest to the construction of the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
From the age of 18, John lived at the temple with ten monks, observing strict fasting, prayer and abstinence. Seeing the piety and prayerful zeal of the young man, the Metropolitan of Sebaste ordained him bishop of the Colonial Church. Having accepted high orders, the monk did not change his ascetic lifestyle. He continued to observe strict monastic rules.
In the tenth year of John's episcopate, power changed in Armenia. Pazinik became the ruler, who began to actively interfere in church affairs. Then the monk went to Constantinople and asked Emperor Zeno to protect the Armenian Church from encroachments.
After the change of ruler, John, dejected by worldly vanity, decided to leave the episcopal see and secretly left for Jerusalem. There he entered the monastery of St. Sava as an ordinary novice, and then took a vow of silence. After several years of service, desiring even greater solitude, the monk retired to the desert, where he spent more than nine years in strict abstinence, eating only herbs.
According to legend, Jerusalem was attacked by the Saracens during this period. The invaders tried to kill John more than once, but God sent a ferocious lion to help him, who would not let anyone near the saint. Through the saint's prayer, other miracles were performed — the sick and the possessed were healed, and the dying received divine help.
Later, Saint Sava persuaded John to return to the lavra. In total, the saint spent 66 years in the monastery.
Traditions of the national holiday Ivan the Silent on December 16
In the national calendar, the memorial day of St. John was named Ivan the Silent. On the holiday, the ancestors tried to keep silence. It was believed that the one who refrains from empty conversations on December 16, will be eloquent all year round, and will also avoid various diseases and troubles.
Therefore, throughout the day, people limited communication as much as possible. They even prayed in front of the icon "to themselves", without saying the words out loud. It was also not necessary to exchange notes on a holiday. According to legend, this could cause headaches.
On St. John's Day, the villagers tried to go to bed as early as possible. This was done not only to save candles and kindling — the ancestors believed that after December 16, evil spirits roamed the streets in the form of a black cow. Meeting her did not bode well for a man.
What not to do on December 16 — the day of Ivan the Silent
On the day of Ivan the Silent, the ancestors adhered to a number of strict prohibitions. They concerned both domestic and spiritual life. The ancestors avoided common feasts and teamwork, preferring to spend time alone so as not to accidentally talk.
Additional restrictions were imposed by the church calendar — December 16 always falls during the Christmas Fast. At this time, believers are not allowed to eat meat, dairy products, eggs and fish, as well as arrange noisy celebrations and drink alcohol.
What else can not be done on December 16
- to make promises, you will not be able to fulfill them.;
- Shouting and swearing can lead to health problems;
- Talking a lot can bring trouble into your life.;
- getting to know new people — there is a risk of encountering spoilage;
- Sharing your successes can be a reason for gossip and envy.
Folk signs for December 16
On Ivan the Silent, the ancestors closely watched nature in the hope of finding out what the coming winter would be like. If bullfinches chirped loudly on a holiday, they understood that a thaw was coming. There were other signs, too:
- the firewood in the stove cracks violently — to severe frosts;
- sunny weather — there will be a good harvest next year;
- It's snowing, leading to a blizzard;
- the cat runs around the house all day — in bad weather.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and traditions of St. Andrew's Day.
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