A special national holiday on May 21 is Ivan the Long: history, traditions, omens

Every year on May 21, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the Apostle John the Theologian, one of the closest disciples of Christ, a witness to the gospel events and the author of the theological texts of the New Testament. In the national calendar, the date is known as Ivan the Long, Ivan the Wheat, or the Niva Charm. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on May 21 — St. John the Theologian's Day?

The Apostle John the Theologian lived in Galilee in the 1st century. He came from the family of the fisherman Zebedee and, together with his older brother Jacob, helped his father in the fishing business. Christ saw them mending nets in a boat and called them to apostolic ministry. The gospel emphasizes that James and John responded immediately, without hesitation, abandoning their former craft.

From that moment on, John became not just one of the 12 apostles, but a disciple from the Savior's inner circle. He was present at events that not all the apostles witnessed.

Church tradition explains this closeness by John's special purity, faithfulness, and sacrificial love, qualities for which he is called the beloved disciple of Christ. He saw the Transfiguration of the Lord on Tabor, attended the Last Supper, followed the Teacher during the interrogations of the high priests and did not leave Him on the way of the cross. At the Cross, according to church tradition, Jesus entrusted John with the care of the Mother of God, and the apostle performed this ministry until Her Dormition.

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After that, John went to Asia Minor to preach. His life was connected with Ephesus and the island of Patmos. It was on Patmos, according to church tradition, that he wrote the Revelation of John the Theologian, or the Apocalypse. Later, after returning to Ephesus, the apostle continued to preach, instruct Christian communities, and created the Gospel of John and three epistles of the Council.

John the Theologian lived a long life and, unlike most of the apostles, did not suffer martyrdom. The Church honors his memory several times a year: on May 21, July 13 at the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles, and on October 9, on the day of his repose.

Traditions of the national holiday Ivan the Long on May 21st

In Russia, the name John naturally changed into the more familiar form of Ivan. By May 21, daylight was noticeably increased, peasants worked in the field from early morning to late evening, and wheat sowing began. Hence the names of the holiday — Ivan's Day, Ivan the Long, Ivan the Wheat. "Harness the mare and plow the land for wheat," the ancestors said during this period.

The men went out early in the morning to plow and sow, and the women baked pies from wheat flour left over from last year. Jam was put in the filling, and a coin or other small object was hidden inside one of the pies. The one who gets a piece with a "surprise", according to beliefs, will be lucky all year.

Pastries were always served to guests, neighbors, travelers and the poor. Meeting a beggar was considered a particularly good omen. The ancestors believed that generosity on the day of wheat sowing is returned by harvest and prosperity. The leftovers were not thrown away, and the crumbs were given to birds or livestock so that food would not run out in the house.

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Another name for the holiday is the Niva Amulet. On this day, peasants performed special rituals designed to protect fields and crops. They asked the wind not to break the shoots, not to drive cold rain, but rather to bring warm weather. The ancestors also distinguished the winds themselves. The southeastern one was called the dinner, the southern one was called the summer one, the southwestern one was called the riding one, the northwestern one was called the deep one, and the northeastern one was called the midnight one.

What not to do on the holiday of Ivan the Long

Our ancestors tried to live the day of St. John the Theologian's veneration peacefully. On the holiday, it was customary to maintain a warm atmosphere in the family, meet people with treats and not leave those in need without support. The day was associated with sowing and the hope of a future harvest, and any harsh words, greed, and indifference could attract trouble, hardship, and protracted conflicts. Therefore, on May 21, according to beliefs, one should not quarrel, be greedy and refuse help.

What else you can't do on May 21:

• to lend bread or salt — together with them you can "give away" prosperity, family warmth and good luck.;
• to walk in dirty, torn or untidy clothes — such an appearance opens the way to diseases, troubles and bad influences.;
• to be sad, complain and cry for no acute reason — sadness will linger in the house for a long time.;
• harming plants, breaking branches and trampling plantings leads to a weak harvest of berries, vegetables and fruits;
• leaving small children unattended can frighten the child with evil forces or "jinx" them in the absence of adults.;
• to be lazy and postpone important field tasks leads to poverty;
• guessing and performing magical rituals — attempts to look into the future can deprive a person of wealth;
• to start construction or repairs — the work will be difficult and will bring extra costs.;
• Eating fish and fish dishes can cause you to lose your voice or get a sore throat.

Folk signs for May 21

On Ivan the Long, the peasants carefully observed nature, trees and birds to determine what the harvest would be and how capricious the summer would be.

• there are many flowers on the bird cherry — the summer is expected to be rainy;
• Rainy morning — there will be a lot of mushrooms and berries in autumn;
• rain on the night of Ivan and clear weather in the afternoon — the crops will yield a good harvest;
• the bird landed on the porch — to the disturbing news;
• Crows are sitting with their beaks to one side — a strong wind will rise soon;
• South-east wind — uninvited guests may appear on the third day;
• the red—haired cat went into the garden - the next day will be sunny.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of the special feast of Job Goroshnik.