February 21 is a special holiday — St. John's Day: history, traditions, omens
Every year on February 21, Orthodox believers honor the memory of Saint Zachariah, one of the 12 minor prophets of the Old Testament, who lived about five centuries before the Birth of Christ. In the national calendar, the date is known as Zahariev Day, or Zakhar Sickle. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Saturday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.
What is the church holiday on February 21st?
The Prophet Zechariah of the 12 minor prophets came from the tribe of Levi. According to legend, in his youth he showed the gift of prophecy. Thanks to one of his visions, the saint received the nickname Sickle—Seer - he saw a flying scroll curved in the air, resembling a sharp sickle, which was interpreted as a symbol of God's judgment and retribution.
In his book, which became part of the Old Testament, Zachariah predicted the coming of the Savior, His birth, entry into Jerusalem on a young donkey, betrayal for 30 pieces of silver, the eclipse of the sun at the time of the sufferings of the cross, and other events.
No other information about the prophet's life has been preserved, but his prophecies were of great importance for the development of Christian thought and became a link between the Old and New Testaments.
Traditions of the national holiday Zahariev day on February 21
In popular culture, Zahariev Day, or Zakhar the Sickle, was closely associated with preparations for spring field work. The main symbol of the holiday was the sickle, the main tool of the harvest. The peasants believed that if it was not put in order on February 21, the harvest could be scarce. Therefore, on the holiday, sickles were examined, cleaned, sharpened and sprinkled with Epiphany water.
The women, who were to work in the fields in the summer, prayed to the prophet Zechariah, asking for easy work and a bountiful harvest. It was believed that the patron saint helps those who take care of the tools in advance. "If you don't cut a crooked sickle in time, you won't push a sheaf into the field," they said in Russia.
According to popular beliefs, the month on the night of February 21 had a special "power." The peasants took out a sickle, which had been stuck in the lintel since the New Year, and put it under the moonlight. The ancestors believed that this way the instrument would become especially sharp.
What not to do on St. John's Day
In Russia, St. John's Day was considered a date that required caution and inner concentration, so on February 21 there were a number of prohibitions, the violation of which, according to beliefs, could turn into trouble. So, teeth should not be removed on a holiday, according to beliefs, this deprived a person of the protection of the family and attracted "spoilage".
What else you can't do on February 21:
- perform surgical interventions — wounds will take a long time to heal;
- to be envious — bad thoughts will return to the person himself;
- to do wet cleaning — you can "wash" health and prosperity from the house, so you can only sweep the floors on this day.;
- girls look in the mirror — there is a risk of "overlooking" their beauty and causing skin problems.
Folk signs for February 21
On February 21, the peasants closely watched nature to determine what spring would be like and what to expect from summer. These observations helped to plan the agricultural season.:
- severe frost — by early spring and warm March;
- Thunder on February 21 — for a rainy summer;
- the north wind leads to a prolonged cold snap and a cool spring;
- the smoke from the chimneys is spreading across the ground — to the snowfall;
- Dogs lie quietly in the snow, ready for warmth, and behave restlessly, ready for a blizzard or blizzard.;
- The reddish hue of the moon on the night of February 21 is a sign of an early thaw.
Earlier, Izvestia told us what not to do on Candlemas.
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