A special holiday on December 21 is Anfisa the Needlewoman: history, traditions, omens

Every year on December 21, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the Martyr Anfisa, who suffered for the Christian faith in the 5th century. In the national calendar, this day was named Anfisa the Needlewoman and is considered a time of women's labor and home comfort. In 2025, the holiday falls on a Sunday, coinciding with the winter solstice. Read about its spiritual meaning, traditions and prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on December 21st?

The Martyr Anfisa is often called Roman in the Orthodox tradition. Her life dates back to the fifth century and is associated with a period of fierce controversy over the Christian faith.

According to legend, Anfisa came from a noble Roman family and was the wife of a high-ranking dignitary. After the sermons of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, a famous theologian and prominent figure of the early Christian Church, she was baptized, began to support those in need, openly professing her faith, despite the pressure of the environment and the risk to her family.

At that time, Arianism was spreading in various regions of the Roman Empire, a doctrine that denied the consubstantiality of God the Father and Jesus Christ. Despite the condemnation at the Council, the Arians still had many influential patrons. Anfisa and her husband began to be persistently persuaded to switch to the side of heresy. The mediator in these persuasions was the wife of the mayor, a domineering and vindictive woman.

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Her husband, fearing the consequences, gave in to the pressure and agreed to join the Arians, while Anfisa categorically refused to renounce her faith. After that, she was imprisoned, where she was tortured for a long time, and then burned at the stake.

Traditions of the national holiday Anfisa the Needlewoman on December 21st

In the folk tradition, the holy Martyr Anfisa is considered the patroness of hardworking, careful housewives who know how to create comfort and order with their own hands. Therefore, the day of her memory was fixed under the name "Anfisa the Needlewoman."

On this day, women and girls sewed and darned clothes, knitted warm clothes, embroidered tablecloths, towels, belts, spun thread, worked at a loom, and also put chests, linens, and home textiles in order. According to beliefs, if Anfisa is in dispute, the thread does not get tangled, the pattern fits exactly — the year will be successful. And if the needles break, important decisions and big purchases should be delayed.

In embroidery, they tried to use protective ornaments — rhombuses, triangles, conventional figures of birds and animals, which were perceived as magical signs. Items made on this day were considered talismans for home and family.

In order not to prick themselves with a needle and not cut themselves, the girls tied silk or linen thread around their wrists. There was a belief that wounds received on this day did not heal for a long time and took luck with them.

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December 21 is the winter solstice day. In the traditional culture of the Slavs, it was perceived as the turning point of the year, when the longest night is replaced by a gradual "turn to summer." Mummers walked through the villages, sang ritual songs, praised the owners, wished them prosperity and a good harvest in the new year. On the eve and on the day of the holiday, women baked lean pies and loaves in the shape of the sun as a symbol of renewal and hope.

Since the holiday fell on the Christmas fast, meat, dairy dishes and eggs were not welcome. Lean pies, porridges, vegetables, kvass, and herbal infusions were placed on the table, focusing not on abundance, but on a sense of comfort and concentration.

What not to do on December 21 on the holiday of Anfisa the Needlewoman

In Russia, the holiday was accompanied by a number of prohibitions. It was believed that violating these rules could affect health, prosperity, and family peace. So, for Anfisa the Needlewoman, housewives should not show their needlework to outsiders until it was completed. He was supposed to work alone, without any unnecessary witnesses. It was believed that an envious look could "knock down" the hand of a craftswoman and the matter would be argued worse.

What else you can't do on December 21:

• swearing and swearing — all swear words, evil sayings and curses will return to their author in the form of diseases and lack of money;
• refusing to help those who ask for help — such behavior can lead to financial difficulties and protracted problems in the family.;
• walking in sloppy, dirty or tattered clothes — there is a risk that a person will not get out of need and trouble all year round.;
• laughing loudly and making noise in the house is a risk of attracting evil forces that can "damage" the family.;
• starting big businesses and risky ventures — a large-scale undertaking may take a long time or face unexpected obstacles, it is better to complete old cases.;
• leaving a mess in the house — scattered things, unwashed dishes, dirty floor will become a bait for trouble.

Folk signs for December 21st

Anfisa the Needlewoman is a day rich in weather signs. The peasants carefully observed nature in order to predict what the remaining winter and the coming summer would be like.

• calm and clear weather — the winter is expected to be cold, but smooth, without frequent snowstorms;
• blizzard and thick snow — the summer will be rainy and wet;
• strong wind on Anfisa leads to snow storms and drifts in January;
• dense frost on the trees — for a mild and humid winter;
• snow begins to fall in the evening — there is a band of precipitation ahead and a noticeable cold snap;
• chickadees sing loudly at home — for the coming frosts;
• chickadees hide under roofs or cornices — in a few days it is worth waiting for snowstorms;
• in the house, spiders descend through fresh cobwebs — in nine days, steady cold weather will hit.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the spiritual significance and popular prohibitions of St. Nicholas Day.