A special Russian holiday on July 23rd is Anthony the Thunderer: history, traditions, omens

On July 23, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Anthony of the Caves, founder of the Kiev Caves Lavra and patron saint of all Russian monks. In the national calendar, this date is called Anthony the Thunderer and is associated with frequent thunderstorms at the end of July. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Wednesday. Izvestia tells us what customs, signs and prohibitions exist on this day.

The history of the national holiday Anthony the Thunderer

St. Anthony of the Caves was born at the end of the tenth century in the town of Lyubech near Chernigov. In the world, he was called Antipas. According to legend, the saint took vows in one of the monasteries of Mount Athos, taking the name Anthony.

Initially, he lived as a hermit, but already in the 1050s, students began to gather around him, including Nikon the Great, a scientist and chronicler who later became abbot of the Kiev Caves Monastery founded by Anthony.

According to legend, it was the Almighty who pointed out to the saint the place of the future monastery, and from the Mother of God he received gold to hire masons for the construction of the Pechersk Church.

The monk lived most of his life in caves, striving for prayerful solitude. For his ascetic work, the Lord rewarded him with the gift of epiphany and miracle-working. Anthony died in old age and was buried in Nearby caves.

St. Anthony was popularly called the Thunder—Bearer or the Duckweed, because thunderstorms often occur at the end of this summer month, and reservoirs are covered with thick duckweed, a small aquatic plant that quickly spreads over the surface of the water, forming a "green carpet."

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How Anthony the Thunder-Bearer was celebrated in Russia

In the morning, the peasants went to church to pray to Anthony of the Caves. Our ancestors considered the saint to be a protector from thunderstorms and lightning, and also asked him for well-being in business.

Thunder was given special importance on this day. If thunderclaps were heard on the saint's memorial day, it promised a good catch of fish. But they were afraid of lightning. If it hit a tree, then after that it was not used for building houses, harvesting firewood or making household utensils. It was popularly said that lightning strikes the tree behind which the devil is hiding.

If the weather was clear, the peasants went to the lake to collect duckweed. It was turned into fertilizer or pet food. A decoction was also prepared from it, which acted as a sleeping pill and sedative.

Some of the duckweed was necessarily left in the pond. There was a belief that mermaids made their outfits out of plants, and angering them meant incurring a lot of trouble.

For the same reason, it was forbidden to pluck water lilies and in any way disrupt the beauty of the blooming mermaid garden. They tried to talk in low voices near rivers and lakes so as not to disturb the water spirits. Swearing or speaking in raised tones was forbidden, as well as stirring up the water.

What can and cannot be done on Anthony the Thunderer

Following folk traditions, you can go fishing on Anthony the Thunderer Day, especially if it rained heavily the day before. To ensure that there is always prosperity in the house, a few small fish should be distributed to those in need or given to anyone you meet.

Swimming in ponds on this day is not recommended to avoid accidents. Water treatments should be replaced by a trip to the sauna. Such a procedure, on the contrary, will only bring a lot of benefits, it was believed in the old days.

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It is considered a bad omen to pour water and drink from someone else's mug. According to beliefs, this can lead to loss of vitality and deterioration of health. You should also not cut your own hair or that of others, because cutting off your hair can shorten your life.

According to other beliefs, you should not do household chores, including cleaning, on a holiday. Previously, it was believed that any work for Anthony the Thunderer could disturb the spirits living next to a person. In addition, it was forbidden to swear, gossip, drink alcohol and visit cemeteries.

Folk signs on July 23rd

There are also many weather signs associated with the holiday. They were used to determine what kind of weather would set in the near future. According to observations, if the cattle lie not under the roof, but under the open sky, and the crows play in flight, it means it will be sunny.

The fog creeping over the water also promises warmth. If the sky is covered with cumulus clouds, a strong wind is expected. If flies sting a lot during the day, they knew it was going to rain soon.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and signs of the national holiday Sysoev Day.