Folk signs for June 25: what can and cannot be done

In Russia, omens have been given special importance since ancient times. They were used to judge the weather, when to sow and harvest, and what to expect in the future. Therefore, every day of the national calendar was full of rituals and superstitions. Izvestia tells about the popular signs of June 25 and what church holidays are celebrated on this day.

Folk signs for June 25

In Russia, Peter the Great Day was celebrated on June 25. The name is due to the fact that after this date, the daylight begins to shorten, and the sun "turns" for the winter. In the old days, this day was also called Peter the Fisherman, which is associated with the custom of cooking fish dishes, the main of which was fish soup. There was even a popular belief that if you eat fish soup on a holiday and make a wish, it will definitely come true.

Also, on Peter's Day, the last seedlings of cabbage and cucumbers were planted, which gave rise to another name — "Belated cabbage." The holiday was accompanied by special rituals, a special place among which was occupied by the worship of the sun. The peasants climbed to the hills to meet the dawn and thank the sun for the warmth. The ancestors believed that participation in this ceremony strengthens a person's connection with nature and brings well-being.

Much attention in the villages was paid to weather signs. They were used to judge, among other things, the future of haymaking. So, the clear weather in the morning promised successful mowing, and the rain foreshadowed bad weather during this important agricultural period for the peasants.

Other signs of the day:

• The fog is spreading over the water — it will be clear and warm.;
• Sparrows are chirping loudly — it's going to rain soon;
• white clouds have appeared — hail is possible;
• swallows fly high — for sunny weather;
• heavy dew in the morning leads to a rich harvest.

What not to do on June 25

On the day of Peter the Great, there were strict prohibitions. It was believed that violating these rules could bring disaster, crop failure, or disease. Special attention was paid to clothes. Dark clothes were not worn on this day, so as not to anger the sun — they believed that it could send downpours or dry out crops.

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What else can not be done on June 25:

• mowing the grass — at the tip of a scythe, you can bring evil spirits into the house.;
• Buying a cow — the animal may get sick or get lost;
• plan important meetings — they will go to no avail;
• Holding a grudge against loved ones can lead to illness.;
• going to bed before midnight leads to hardship and setbacks.

What is the church holiday on June 25th?

On June 25 (June 12, Old Style), the Orthodox Church commemorates two great ascetics — St. Peter of Athos, who is considered the first Athonite hermit, and St. Onufry the Great— one of the greatest Egyptian hermits of the fourth century. Both saints are revered as great prayer books and examples of spiritual perseverance.

St. Peter of Athos lived in the 7th–8th centuries. He was of Greek descent and served as a voivode in the imperial forces in Constantinople. During the war with the Syrians, Peter was captured and imprisoned in the fortress of the city of Samara on the Euphrates River. After his miraculous release, he went to Rome, where he took monastic vows. Then, on the instructions of the Most Holy Theotokos, who appeared to him in a dream, he went to the Holy Mount Athos, where he spent more than 50 years in complete solitude.

St. Onufry the Great was born around 320 in Persia. In his youth, he was brought up in the Thebaid monastery, and later, having learned from the elders about the life of the hermits, he was eager to imitate their exploits. The monk spent about 60 years completely alone in the desert. He fed on the meager desert vegetation until the Lord strengthened him. According to legend, a date palm tree grew next to the cave where Onufriy lived and a water source opened.

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Prayers on June 25

They pray to St. Peter of Athos for his release from captivity and prison, for help in spiritual and everyday difficulties, as well as for the gift of strength to overcome temptations. St. Onufriy the Great is asked for help in hermitages and monastic feats, for strengthening faith and intercession before God in difficult life circumstances.

Prayer to Peter of Athos

"O holy head, Venerable Father, most blessed Abbo Father Peter, do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you have saved yourself, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy Father, for your spiritual children, for have boldness to the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for you have been given the grace to pray for us. <...> Do not depart from us in spirit, preserving protect us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of demons and the machinations of the devil, our good shepherd. <...> We bow down to you and pray to you: pray to Almighty God for us, for the benefit of our souls, and grant us time for repentance, so that we may pass from earth to heaven unhindered, from the bitter ordeals of the demons of the air and May we be delivered from eternal torment, and may we inherit the heavenly kingdom with all the righteous who have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ from the beginning.: To Him belongs all glory, honor, and worship, together with His Beginningless Father, and with His All-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen to that."

Prayer to Onufry the Great

"O most holy and most blessed servant of Christ and our Lord, Onufrie the Great! You have shown your wondrous love for your Lord, and you have been strengthened by His grace into wondrous deeds, and for the sake of this great boldness you have been vouchsafed to Him. <...> Therefore, even now, Father, look with the merciful eye of your love upon us, your unworthy servants, and grant to all according to their need, according to faith and hope. Give joy to those who mourn, comfort those who weep, heal those who are ill, help those who labor, strengthen and bless those who struggle with the passions and appetites of the enemy, support those who are exhausted, protect your monastery and all of us from visible enemies and from all evil. Magnify the holy Orthodox faith in our fatherland, convert those who have erred, enlighten those who have fallen away, strengthen those who are wavering, soften those who persist, enlighten those who are unfaithful, and bring everyone to the quiet haven of the Heavenly Fatherland. O precious word of consolation to the monastics and all the faithful! Through your glorious deeds and the sweet contemplation of your miraculous image, enlighten us and strengthen us for every feat, labor and patience for the glory of the Name of God, so that we may be saved with you and all the saints of the Eternal and Most Blessed Kingdom of the glory of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen to that."

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the folk and church traditions of Barnabas Day.