Pavel Kapelnik is a special holiday on March 20: history, traditions, omens

Every year on March 20, Orthodox believers honor the memory of two saints — St. Paul the Most Simple and St. Paul, Bishop of Prusiada. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Pavel Kapelnik. In 2026, it falls on a Friday. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on March 20th?

St. Paul the Most Simple lived in Egypt in the fourth century. He got his nickname for his kindness, directness and simplicity of heart. According to church tradition, he was a worldly man, unlearned, married for a long time, but in old age, having learned about his wife's infidelity, he decided to leave his former way of life. He went into the desert to devote himself to the monastic life. At that time, he was about 60 years old — a respectable age at that time, especially for such a harsh choice.

In search of a mentor, Paul came to St. Anthony the Great. At first, he refused to receive the guest, believing that the elderly man could not withstand the severity of a hermit's life. But he did not back down — he stood outside the cell for three days, repeating that he would rather die than leave.

This determination changed Anthony's mind: the elder received the guest, gave him a cell, and for many years checked him not with words, but with deeds — hard work, severe fasting, night vigils, psalmody, and constant humility in everyday life. Pavel passed all the tests.

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Over time, the monk received the blessing to live separately. According to church tradition, for many years of ascetic work, he was endowed from above with the ability to foresee the future and cast out demons. Thus, the life mentions a case when a possessed young man was brought to Anthony the Great, and he sent him specifically to Paul, saying that power over the strongest demons was revealed to the humble.

St. Paul, Bishop of Prusiada, whose memory is also honored on March 20, lived in the 9th century in Asia Minor during the period of iconoclastic disputes. He openly defended the shrines, relying on church tradition and Holy Scripture, for which he was persecuted along with St. Theophylact.

There is little information about the earthly life of the saint, but the church honors him as a confessor, a man who did not renounce his faith even under pressure from authorities and circumstances.

Traditions of the national holiday Pavel Kapelnik on March 20

In Russia, by March 20, the snow cover was noticeably settling, the icicles hanging from the roofs were actively melting, and the spring rain was in full swing. Therefore, the holiday received an expressive name — Pavel Kapelnik.

But the peasants were in no hurry to rejoice at the thaw. According to observations, it could easily be replaced by the night cold. On this occasion, they said, "It drips from the roofs, but it drips by the nose."

On March 20, the ancestors looked attentively at the roofs of the houses. Due to the warming, layers of snow and ice often broke off from them. In the popular imagination, such emergencies were perceived as a sign of purification. According to beliefs, human sins seemed to fall to the ground at that moment.

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For this reason, the ancestors were wary of March 20. If a person fell under such a snowfall, it was considered an alarming sign and a reason to think about life and deeds. To ease the soul, on this day they prayed in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Helper of Sinners".

Pavel Kapelnik's ancestors also had a tradition of feeding migratory birds — they were perceived as living messengers of spring. It was believed that by attracting birds to their homes, people bring warmth and renewal closer.

What not to do on a holiday Pavel Kapelnik

Pavel Kapelnik was subject to a number of prohibitions in Russia. We tried to spend the day quietly. Our ancestors believed that it was on March 20 that bad moods were easily fixed. Therefore, on March 20, it was not necessary to quarrel, enter into disputes and sort things out. According to beliefs, a conflict that began on this day can drag on for a long time and develop into persistent hostility.

What else you can't do on March 20:

• to indulge in despondency, to complain about fate — tears and longing on this day can attract trouble and "set the tone" for the whole year.;
• replanting indoor plants, planting seedlings — such work can harm plants, as a result, the seedlings will be weak, and home—grown flowers will be painful.;
• Breaking glass is a bad sign that promises trouble and disturbing events.;
• to refuse help — according to beliefs, someone who leaves a person in trouble for Pavel Kapelnik himself may soon find himself in the same position.;
• scolding children and responding with irritation to their whims — rudeness on this day will turn into cooling in the family and ingratitude in the future.

Folk signs for March 20th

On Pavel Kapelnik, the villages were closely watching nature — the peasants believed that on March 20, the weather seemed to tell them what the coming weeks would be like.

• water is actively dripping from icicles — for a good harvest and a fertile year.;
• cloudy weather during the day, clear skies and cold at night — frosts are expected in the coming days;
• if the larks were the first to return from the south, spring is already very close, if the finches are, the warmth will linger, and winter will remind you of itself.;
• swallows build a nest under the roof of a house — a good sign: such a house, according to beliefs, awaits prosperity, peace and happiness.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of the special Gerasim Grachevnik holiday.