A special holiday on January 2 is Ignatiev Day: history, traditions, omens, what not to do

Every year on January 2, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Ignatius the God—Bearer, one of the apostolic men and early Christian martyrs. In 2026, the date falls on a Friday and coincides with the beginning of the pre-Christmas celebration. In the national calendar, the day is known as Ignatov's day: it was believed that prayer to the saint protects the dwelling from troubles, diseases and misfortunes. What is the story behind this holiday, what traditions, signs and prohibitions exist, who and how they congratulate on this day, read the Izvestia article.

What is the national holiday on January 2nd

Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer was born in Antioch, on the territory of modern Turkey in the 1st century. The saint received the nickname the God-Bearer either because, as it is said in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus held the baby Ignatius in his arms, or because he was considered the bearer of the Divine Spirit.

Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian and became the second bishop of Antioch after the Apostle Peter. John Chrysostom called him a model of virtues and the perfect image of a bishop.

During the reign of Emperor Trajan, Saint Ignatius was arrested and sent to Rome, where he faced trial. While in custody, he wrote seven epistles to the Christian communities of Ephesus, Magnesia, Trallia, Philadelphia, Smyrna and Rome, which became the most important monuments of early Christian thought.

In Rome, the saint was tortured, after which he was thrown to the lions. His relics were initially transferred to Antioch, and several centuries later they were returned to Rome, where they are kept in the Basilica of St. Clement.

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Ignatiev Day holiday traditions on January 2

In Russia, this day was dedicated to the house where a person was born, grew up and was blessed with an independent life. On this day, people served prayer services to Ignatius the God-Bearer to protect the dwelling from any harm. They also worshiped the house and went around the village in a procession with an icon.

According to folk signs, a person born on St. Ignatius Day will be tied to home and family for the rest of his life. At the same time, it was customary to communicate with relatives on this day, which was considered a kind and useful thing for everyone.

What not to do on Ignatiev Day on January 2nd

Ignatiev Day was considered a special day dedicated to home and family protection. On this day, people especially watched their actions, believing that well-being and prosperity depended on them. There were strict prohibitions aimed at protecting the home and preserving good luck.

Other prohibitions of the day:

— lending leads to financial difficulties and poverty;
— letting strangers into the house could bring the evil eye or damage;
— putting on new clothes leads to trouble and big troubles;
— buying shoes leads to a bad road and life obstacles;
— throwing away food leads to hunger and hardship.

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Ignatiev Day — folk signs on January 2

St. Ignatius Day was traditionally considered the moment when the foundation was laid not only for Christmas, but for the whole coming year, so every action was treated with special attention. This day was also called "apple day": it was believed that clearing apple trees of frost and snow would help to get a rich harvest. Believers carefully observed natural phenomena, believing that frost, wind or fog could tell what the harvest and weather would be like in the following months.

Other signs of the day:

— severe frost — for a rich harvest;
— south wind — summer will be warm and dry;
— thick fog — frequent rains are expected in autumn;
— lots of snow on the trees — for a good honey harvest;
— clear and sunny weather leads to sudden weather changes and storms.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of the national holiday Barbarian Day.