February 12 is a special national holiday — St. Basil's Day: history, traditions, omens

Every year on February 12, Orthodox believers honor the memory of three saints at once — John Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian and Basil the Great. In the church calendar, the date is called the "Cathedral of the Three Saints", or the Three Saints, and in the vernacular — St. Basil's Day. In 2026, the celebration falls on Thursday. Read about the history of the holiday, the traditions associated with it, folk signs and prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on February 12th?

The holiday was formed in the XI–XII centuries, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios Komnenos. During this period, a dispute broke out in Constantinople over which of the three great saints — Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian or John Chrysostom — should be revered more than the others. All three lived in the fourth century, served in the highest church ranks and played a key role in the formation of Christianity.

Basil the Great was Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia, and Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom occupied the see of the archbishops of Constantinople. Each of them influenced the life of the Church in his own way.

Vasily was considered the organizer of monastic life, a strict mentor and a zealot of pure morals. John Chrysostom was praised for his outstanding eloquence and ability to speak about the Word of God. Gregory the Theologian was revered for the depth and clarity of theological thought, the ability to accurately formulate the most complex dogmas of faith.

However, the merits of the saints unexpectedly became the reason for the church schism. Three "parties" were formed in Constantinople. Some placed Basil above all others, John Chrysostom above all others, and Gregory the Theologian above all others. The arguments became more and more heated, and in the heat of the controversy, people forgot about the main thing — about reverence for the saints themselves.

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According to church tradition, the vision of Metropolitan John Mavropod of Evkha put an end to these disagreements. All three saints appeared to him in a dream at once and reminded him that they were together before God, not competing with each other and not separated by any differences. Each of them, according to them, at one time did what was necessary to save people, and therefore believers should not argue, but honor them equally. And they ordered to establish a single common holiday.

John Mavropod enjoyed great prestige, he was respected for his personal virtue and the power of his words. Therefore, he was able to convince the flock of the need for reconciliation. In 1084, a joint celebration in honor of the three saints was officially established in Constantinople, which is how the Cathedral of the Three Saints, or the Three Saints, appeared.

On the icons, the saints were depicted side by side, in full height, in episcopal vestments and with Holy Scriptures in their hands. John Chrysostom was most often placed in the center, Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian on the right and left. This image was called the "Council of Ecumenical Teachers and Hierarchs" or simply the "Three Hierarchs."

Traditions of the national holiday Vasiliev Day on February 12

In Russia, among the three hierarchs, believers especially singled out Basil the Great, who was seen as a strict mentor and protector of the family. Therefore, the popular name of the holiday was fixed precisely for him.

In the morning, the faithful went to the temple for service, placed candles at the image of the three saints, and prayed for peace and mutual understanding in the family, prosperity and well-being, protection from deception and injustice, strengthening faith and spiritual fortitude.

Each of the saints was addressed with a specific request. John Chrysostom was asked for protection from slander, for clarity of thoughts and actions. St. Basil the Great — about help in the fight against temptations and strengthening the spirit. St. Gregory the Theologian is about guiding those who have deviated into sects or schisms to the right path, overcoming misconceptions and returning to the Orthodox faith.

We tried to spend February 12 calmly, without fuss, with our loved ones, with an emphasis on reconciliation and kind words. If there was a long-standing conflict in the family or between friends, it was on St. Basil's Day that they tried to take the first step towards reconciliation. It was believed that if you did not make peace with Vasily, the quarrel could last for a year and escalate into hostility.

On the feast of the Three Saints, the ancestors avoided noisy feasts and festivities, arranging instead quiet family dinners. Special attention was paid to the children, they were given small gifts, sweets, a new book or a toy. In this way, the adults emphasized that peace in the house and good relations are also part of the holiday.

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Unmarried girls performed rituals for a successful marriage on St. Basil's Day. In the evening, they went out to the trees near the house or outside the village, tied colorful ribbons on the branches, and softly called the name of their beloved or desired groom. According to beliefs, if the ceremony was conducted with a pure heart, in the near future the girl was expected to be married and engaged.

St. Basil's Day was considered a good time to restore order. The housewives did the general cleaning, sorted out things, got rid of junk that had not been used for a long time, swept last year's dust out of the corners.

An interesting ritual was associated with old shoes. She was collected around the house and put on the doorstep. According to legend, along with worn-out shoes and boots, quarrels, misunderstandings and painful thoughts left the house.

The ancestors believed that during this period, a real "animal wedding party" began in the deep woods — wild animals paired up, fights broke out between the males, and the mating season began. Hence the name of the holiday — Wolf Matchmaker.

To "appease" the forest owners and gain their favor, they tried to put a dish of game, most often wild boar, on the table on St. Basil's Day. The peasants believed that, thanks to this rite, the animals would not touch the farm. The carcass was baked whole or in large pieces, stuffed with mushrooms, apples or cabbage.

What not to do on St. Basil's Day

There were a number of prohibitions associated with St. Basil's Day, the non-observance of which, according to beliefs, could bring discord and unhappiness to the family. On February 12, it was forbidden to swear and start quarrels, raise your voice at children and the elderly. The ancestors believed that a conflict that broke out on a holiday could drag on for a long time and turn into a real feud, affecting not only the disputants, but also their relatives and neighbors.

What else you can't do on February 12th:

• going to the forest, hunting — to troubles and problems in the household;
• women should wash their clothes — along with water, health, luck and family well-being will "float away".;
• doing needlework, spinning, sewing, embroidery — you can "confuse" fate, bring on fatigue and illness. Hence the popular name of the holiday — the Day of the three saints-spinners;
• putting on new clothes, especially red ones, leads to quarrels;
• solving money issues, taking on and paying off debts — there is a risk of "giving away" your wealth and "attracting" financial difficulties for a whole year.;
• to welcome stray dogs — according to beliefs, an evil spirit can enter the yard under the guise of such an animal.

Folk signs for February 12th

On St. Basil's Day, the peasants carefully observed nature, trying to determine what the weather would be like in the coming months:

• strong wind all day — to severe frosts and cold weather;
• the trees are covered with thick frost — it will soon get warmer, the cold will begin to recede;
• snowstorm all day — for a rainy, wet spring;
• low clouds cover the sun — cold snap ahead;
• A red moon is visible in the sky at night, and a strong wind will rise the next day.;
• The birds are restless, flying low and screaming — for an imminent snowfall or blizzard;
• severe frosts lead to clear, cold weather without prolonged thaws.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of the special holiday Zlatoust Day.