A special holiday on January 23rd is Grigory the Chronicler: history, traditions, omens

Every year on January 23, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Gregory of Nyssa, a theologian and church leader who lived in Cappadocia in the fourth century. In the national calendar, this day is called Gregory the Chronicler. In 2026, it falls on a Friday. Read about the history of the holiday, its traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

Grigory Letoukazatel – 2026: the history of the holiday

Gregory of Nyssa was the younger brother of the outstanding theologian Basil of Caesarea. The saint was born in the fourth century in Cappadocia, a region of Asia Minor that became the spiritual center of Christianity during the struggle against the Arian heresy (a doctrine that denied the equality of Jesus Christ to God the Father and claimed that the Son of God was created and is not consubstantial with the Father).

Gregory received a fundamental education, studied philosophy and rhetoric in depth, and spent some time teaching eloquence. However, his intellectual career soon gave way to church ministry.

In 372, Gregory was ordained bishop of the city of Nyssa by his brother Basil the Great, finding himself at the center of the struggle for the purity of Orthodox dogmas. The saint consistently and openly opposed Arianism, for which he was subjected to pressure and persecution. In 376, he was falsely accused of abusing church property, deprived of his pulpit, and sent into exile in Ancyra. But even after his deposition in absentia, he continued his pastoral ministry, strengthening the faithful, moving from community to community.

The turning point was the death of Emperor Valens in 378. Gregory was reinstated in his dignity and returned to Nyssa with honor. A new loss soon followed — Basil the Great died in 379. Gregory had a hard time surviving his brother's death, but he was able to complete the theological work he had begun, the interpretation of the six days of creation, known as the "Sixth Day."

In the same year, the saint took part in the Council of Antioch, speaking out against the heresies that distorted the teaching about the Theotokos. By the decision of the council, he was entrusted with reviewing the churches of Arabia and Palestine in order to establish Orthodox teaching. As part of this mission, he visited Jerusalem and worshiped the holy sites.

The culmination of his ecclesiastical activity was his participation in the Second Ecumenical Council of 381 in Constantinople, convened against the Macedonian heresy (the false doctrine of the fourth century, according to which the Holy Spirit is not a Person of the Holy Trinity, but is considered as a creation or power emanating from God). At the initiative of Gregory of Nyssa, the provisions of the Nicene Creed on the Holy Spirit were clarified and supplemented. Here he also participated in the confirmation of Gregory the Theologian to the rank of Archbishop of Constantinople.

In the following years, the saint repeatedly spoke at church councils in Constantinople, delivered theological speeches, including on the Divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. His authority as a theologian and peacemaker was so high that churches in various regions turned to him for support.

St. Gregory of Nyssa was remembered by his contemporaries not only as a brilliant thinker, but also as a merciful pastor, patient, peace-loving, ready to intercede for believers before judges and authorities. Having lived to a ripe old age, he died peacefully shortly after the next Council of Constantinople.

Traditions of the national holiday Grigory Letoukazatel January 23

In the national calendar, January 23 had several names at once: Grigory Letoukazatel, Letoukaznik, and often just Letoukazatel. In Russia, this day was considered the beginning of the spring cycle of field work.

The men conducted an audit of the farm, checked the inventory, cleaned the barns, sorted the grain, stocked up on tools for future work, and tidied up the yard. The women did household chores, washing and cleaning, prepared ritual meals, and took care of the children.

Special attention was paid to the family hearth on this day. Evening gatherings over a samovar with a homemade dinner were considered an obligatory part of the tradition. A meat dish was always served on the table, which symbolized strength, health and prosperity. The dish was supposed to be eaten to the last bite, and the whole family had to gather at the meal so that abundance, unity and happiness would reign in the house all year round.

One of the central symbols of the day was a haystack, symbolizing the connection between the land and the harvest. In the old days, it was believed that a spirit lived in it — a Stogoi, the patron saint of the fields. To appease him and gain support, it was necessary to bake a loaf and take it to the stack, placing it at the base. It was a kind of "gift to the harvest." If the spirit remained satisfied, the year promised to be fertile, without adversities like rodents or excessive dampness.

The peasants had another rite for wealth — before sunset, they had to walk around the stack counterclockwise three times, saying their cherished wish to themselves. After that, take an armful of hay and bring it into the house. It was believed that in this way a person "lures" prosperity and well-being.

What can not be done on the holiday of Gregory the Chronicler

In Russia, the ancestors strictly observed a number of prohibitions related to the holiday, believing that their violation could lead to failures. So, it was forbidden to be idle on Grigory Letoukazatel, work on January 23 was the key to a fruitful year.

What else you can't do on January 23rd:

• taking out trash and ashes from the house — you can "throw away" luck with it.;
• swearing loudly and quarreling — aggressive behavior attracts trouble;
• sewing and knitting — there is a risk of "sewing up" your happiness;
• to borrow money or borrow it — together with the bills, you can "give away" prosperity;
• pregnant women cleaning up and carrying heavy things can bring trouble to the unborn baby.

Folk signs for January 23rd

In Russia, on Grigory Letoukazatel, peasants carefully observed nature, believing that the weather on a holiday could tell about the future harvest. Our ancestors had a saying about January 23rd: "Like Gregory, like summer.":

• a clear, sunny day leads to a hot and dry summer;
• South wind is a harbinger of frequent thunderstorms;
• snowfall and blizzard — for rainy summer months;
• hoarfrost on the haystacks — summer will be cool and damp;
• a lot of snow — the wheat harvest will be plentiful.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of Filippov's day.