A special national holiday on April 17 is Joseph the Singer: history, traditions, omens

Every year on April 17, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Joseph the Hymnist, the author of religious hymns. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Joseph the Singer. In 2026, it falls on a Friday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

Joseph the Singer — 2026: the history of the holiday

St. Joseph the Song-Writer was born in Sicily in the 9th century into a pious Christian family of Plotinus and Agafia. Fearing the invasion of barbarians, they left their native places and moved to the Peloponnese.

Even in his youth, Joseph decided to devote himself to the spiritual path. At the age of 15, he went to Thessalonica and took vows. At the monastery, he quickly gained the respect of the brethren for his diligence, meekness, piety, and rare composure. He was later ordained a presbyter.

During the reign of Leo the Armenian, iconoclastic persecution intensified again. The situation of the Church at that moment was especially difficult — the emperor and the patriarch stood on the side of the heretics. During this period, the young monk was noticed by St. Gregory the Decapolite. Together they went to Constantinople to protect the holy sites, they spoke to people, visited Orthodox homes and tried to strengthen those who were under pressure from the authorities.

According to legend, Joseph was soon assigned an important mission. The Orthodox monks chose him as an envoy to the pope, hoping to gain support in the struggle for the veneration of shrines. However, he did not reach Rome. On the way, the saint was captured by Arab robbers who were bribed by the iconoclasts. He was sent to Crete and imprisoned. The monk spent six years behind bars, but even in these conditions he did not lose heart, bravely endured hardships and supported other prisoners, strengthening them in faith.

On Christmas Night in 820, St. Nicholas of Myra appeared to Joseph. He announced the death of Leo the Armenian, the imminent end of the persecution, and then handed over a scroll with words of prayer. At that moment, the shackles fell off, the prison doors opened, and the monk was free.

When he returned to Constantinople, he did not find his mentor Gregory the Decapolite alive, but he met his disciple John. Later, Joseph built a church in the name of St. Nicholas, and founded a monastery at the temple. After these events, the monk's main gift, the song—making, was fully revealed. According to legend, he received part of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew and wanted to honor his memory with dignity, but did not dare to write hymns of praise himself.

He prayed for forty days, asking for help. On the eve of the feast, the Apostle Bartholomew himself appeared to him, who blessed him for this work. After that, the monk wrote a canon to the apostle, and then began to create hymns in honor of the Mother of God, St. Nicholas and many saints.

Contemporaries wrote about the extraordinary power of his chants, noting the beauty of their sound and depth of thought. Over time, Joseph's works occupied a special place in Orthodox worship, and his name firmly entered the history of church hymnography.

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Under Emperor Theophilus, when the iconoclastic heresy intensified again, Joseph was sent into exile to Chersonesos, where he spent 11 years, returning to Constantinople only in 842, already under Queen Theodora.

Joseph lived to a ripe old age, while maintaining an active participation in church life. Before Easter, on Good Friday, he received the news of his imminent death in a dream, after which he prepared for death, compiled an inventory of the church property entrusted to him, handed it over to Patriarch Photius, took communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ and peacefully departed to the Lord in 883.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated in Russia on April 17th

In Russia, by April 17, nature was coming to life, and the first distinct voices of birds and insects began to sound, so the saint's memorial day was named Joseph the Singer. The ancestors had a special attitude towards cranes. On April 17, people came out of their houses to see them in the sky and worship. In Russia, these birds were considered not only messengers of warmth, but also protectors from evil spirits, evil eyes and spring weather. In the popular view, with their arrival, the year finally "turned" to summer.

There was a belief that they could relieve back pain — when you saw a crane in the sky, you had to lie down on the grass and roll from side to side seven times. It helped to relieve the aches and restore lightness to the body.

Believers began the morning with a visit to the church, and St. Joseph the Hymnwriter asked for help in strengthening the spirit, for protection from dark forces, and for healing from ailments. After the service, the peasants went to the forest or to the outskirts of the village, checking if there were many earrings and cones on the alder, and how quickly it bloomed. These signs were used to judge the upcoming agricultural season. Hence the other name of the holiday — Alder viewing.

On this day, it was necessary to make the necessary preparations in the household — log cabins for wells were made from alder trunks, and the bark and branches were used in household use, including for medical and cosmetic needs.

For Joseph, the housewives carefully cleaned the house, put things in order, and threw out old trash, freeing the space from winter heaviness and stagnation. If supplies allowed, they always baked white bread. The people believed that such a meal could attract monetary profits and maintain prosperity in the house.

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What not to do on the feast of Joseph the Singer

Joseph the Hymnist had a number of prohibitions associated with his ancestors, the violation of which, according to beliefs, could deprive a person of happiness and prosperity. So, on April 17, it was not necessary to catch birds, scare them and drive them away from their homes. Together with the birds, it was possible to scare away luck and home well-being.

What else is forbidden to do on April 17th:

• washing towels and bed linen is at risk of bringing on heavy memories and despondency.;
• buying new things will quickly tear new clothes, and spending will be empty.;
• swearing, swearing and quarreling — harsh words will lead to a loss of mental balance, and the quarrel will drag on.;
• to refuse help and alms — the miser himself will lose prosperity and peace in the family.

Folk signs for April 17th

On Joseph the Hymnist, the peasants closely followed the signs of nature, trying to determine what the remaining weeks of spring would be like, as well as what to expect from the future agricultural season.

• By April 17th, the cranes had already arrived — spring had entered into full force;
• the chirping of crickets is heard — it's time to start field work, the crickets are silent — it's better to wait with plowing;
• there are a lot of catkins on the alder — a good harvest of oats is expected.;
• the alder leaves bloom later than the birch — the summer will be dry.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the ancient prohibitions of the special holiday Krasnaya Gorka.