A special national holiday on August 12 is Siluan and Sila: history, traditions, omens

Every year on August 12, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the early Christian preachers, the Apostles from 70 Silas and Silouan. In the national calendar, the date was named "Siluan and Sila", "Silin Day". In 2026, the holiday falls on a Wednesday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

Siluan and Sila – 2026: the history of the holiday

The Apostle Silas lived in the 1st century and was one of the most respected members of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. In the Book of Acts of the Apostles, he is named one of the "leaders among the brethren" — people to whom the church entrusted important assignments and clarification of decisions made by the apostles.

Around the middle of the 1st century, an Apostolic Council was held in Jerusalem, which resolved the fundamental question of whether pagans who converted to Christianity should fulfill the entire Mosaic law, including circumcision. The apostles decided not to impose the full range of Old Testament precepts on new believers, defining several mandatory moral and religious restrictions for them.

The decision should have been communicated to the Christian community in Antioch. For this purpose, along with Paul and Barnabas, Silas and Judas, called Barsabbas, were sent there. Both enjoyed the confidence of the Jerusalem Church and had to personally confirm the contents of the conciliar epistle. After completing the assignment, Judas returned, while Silas remained in Antioch.

Soon, the second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul began, who chose Silas as his companion. The preachers traveled through Syria and Cilicia, then traveled to Asia Minor and Macedonia, visiting existing Christian communities and creating new ones.

One of the most famous episodes of their journey was the events in the Macedonian city of Philippi. Pavel and Silas were accused of violating public order, publicly beaten with sticks and imprisoned with their feet in a block.

Despite the beatings, the prisoners prayed and sang to God. Around midnight, according to the Acts of the Apostles, a strong earthquake occurred. The prison doors opened, and the prisoners' shackles loosened. The awakened guard decided that the prisoners had run away, and already wanted to commit suicide, as he was threatened with severe punishment for their escape. Pavel stopped him, informing him that everyone was staying in place.

After the incident, the guard brought Paul and Silas to his house, washed their wounds and asked about the Christian faith. And that same night, together with his family, he was baptized. The next day, the city authorities ordered the release of the preachers. They continued their journey through Macedonia, and preached in Thessalonica and Berea. Later, the mission led them to Corinth, where Silas was appointed bishop and lived until the end of his days.

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Also on August 12, the church commemorates the Apostle Silouan. There is little information about his life. Church tradition calls him a companion of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The First Epistle of Peter mentions Silouan, who is called the faithful brother through whom the message was transmitted. His name is also found in the epistles of Paul — next to Timothy.

The Orthodox tradition honors Silas and Silouan as two different apostles from 70. At the same time, due to the similarity of names and the intersection of New Testament evidence, many researchers consider the Greek name Silas and the Latinized form Silouan to be designations of the same person. In the church calendar, however, they are preserved as separate saints.

According to his life, Silouan preached the Gospel with Peter and Paul, and later became bishop of Thessalonica, modern Greek Thessalonica. There he had to endure persecution, severe trials and martyrdom.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated in Russia on August 12

In Russia, the name Sila was associated with physical strength and vital energy. By this time, the overflowing rye was leaning heavily towards the ground. So the person, according to the legend, received additional strength for work on August 12.

In the morning, believers went to church or prayed at home, asking the apostles Silas and Silouan for firmness in faith, health and strength necessary to end the summer suffering. The peasants, weakened after several weeks of hard work, wished each other to "gain strength" before going out into the field.

At the end of the church service, the peasants returned to their daily tasks, examined the seeds, and selected suitable areas for sowing winter crops. It was believed that rye sown on Silwan and Silwan would have time to take root well before the cold weather and give strong shoots.

Before going out into the field, the seeds were blessed. The oldest and strongest man in the family was usually trusted to sow the first handful. The first pass was closely watched — if the grain lay flat, it was a sign of a successful harvest. After that, the rest of the workers joined the sowing.

In the areas where apiaries were kept, on August 12, it was customary to inspect the hives and assess honey stocks before the end of the season. The beekeepers prayed for the safety of the bee colonies and thanked them for the honey they collected.

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It was customary to harvest medicinal plants on Siluan and Silu. Burdock occupied a special place in the home medicine cabinet. Its large, fresh leaves were used for pain in the lower back and joints. There was a custom to take leaves from three different plants, as the ancestors believed in the mystical properties of this number.

Aspen, which was considered a protective tree, was also harvested on Saint Peter's Day. The young branches were cut off for household needs and household rituals. Small brooms were knitted from them, which symbolically "swept out" diseases and other people's envy from the house.

What not to do on the holiday of Siluan and Sila

The ancestors had a number of superstitions and prohibitions associated with Siluan and Sila, the main one of which concerned the stable — it could not be left open unattended. According to legend, evil spirits in the form of a cat or a bat could get to the cows at night and "milk" the animal, depriving it of health and milk. Therefore, before dark, the owners carefully examined the doors and locks, checked how the cattle were feeling.

What else is forbidden to do on August 12:

• to refuse all possible help — for his callousness, a person himself may soon find himself in a difficult situation.;
• being lazy leads to losses in the household;
• Overeating — excessive eating can lead to illness and financial losses;
• rough handling of cattle — cruelty to animals promises trouble;
• Telling a good dream before sunset is not a good omen.;
• Retelling a nightmare — voicing a bad dream out loud can turn into reality;
• quarreling during common work — the discord between the owners and assistants can drag on.

Folk signs for August 12

On Siluan and Silu, the peasants carefully observed nature, precipitation, trees and insects to determine what the weather would be like in the coming days, how the remaining grain would be harvested and winter crops sown.

• It's raining in the morning, and the wet weather will linger for a few more days.;
• The day is cool and cloudy, but no precipitation — the next week will be dry.;
• August 12 is very hot — heavy rain is coming soon;
• rowan has a lot of berries — autumn will come early, and winter will be frosty.;
• there are a lot of cobwebs in the air and on plants — for a series of warm, dry days;
• the weather is dry and warm — the autumn mushroom season promises to be successful;
• It gets colder quickly in the evening, and the nights will soon become noticeably cooler.;
• morning dew does not dry out for a long time — the weather may deteriorate.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of the special holiday Panteleimon the Healer.