A special holiday on September 12 — Alexander Sytnik: history, traditions, omens

Every year on September 12, Orthodox believers honor the memory of two great saints, Prince Alexander Nevsky and St. Alexander Svirsky. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Alexander Sytnik, it symbolizes the end of a strict one-day fast and a generous feast. In 2025, the date falls on a Friday. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on September 12th?

The Holy Prince Alexander became a legend during his lifetime. He was born in 1221 and from his youth proved himself to be a talented commander and a wise ruler. In 1240, at the age of 20, he defeated the Swedes on the Neva River, for which he became known as Alexander Nevsky, and in 1242 he defeated the Livonian Order in the famous Ice Battle on Lake Peipsi, finally stopping the Crusaders' advance.

In 1942, Alexander's father, Prince Yaroslav, was summoned to the Golden Horde and poisoned there. After his death, the young man was given the Kievan throne and the title of Grand Duke of Russia. However, he refused to move to the devastated Kiev and remained in Novgorod, entering into negotiations with the Golden Horde.

Pope Innocent IV repeatedly offered Alexander an alliance with Rome in exchange for protection from the Horde, but he invariably refused. His diplomatic talent and ability to keep a balance between external threats and internal conflicts made the prince a key figure in the history of Russia in the 13th century, as well as a spiritual reference point for posterity.

In the last years of his life, Alexander took monastic vows under the name Alexy. The prince died on November 14, 1263, and was buried in Vladimir, in the Rozhdestvensky Monastery. In 1724, by decree of Peter I, his relics were transported to St. Petersburg and buried in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery, which received the status of a lavra in 1797.

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In 2025, the event falls on a Tuesday.

The Monk Alexander Svirsky, the ascetic, founder of the Holy Trinity Monastery on the Sviri River, was born in 1448 into a simple peasant family. At the age of 19, he went to the Valaam Monastery in secret from his parents, where he rose from novice to recluse, living for several years in a cave all alone.

According to legend, one day the Holy Trinity appeared to Alexander Svirsky, which became one of the rarest cases in the history of Orthodoxy. This spiritual experience, as well as solitary asceticism, prayer and spiritual humility became a support for the saint during the foundation of the Alexander Svir Monastery.

The monk personally participated in the construction of the temple and the organization of monastic life. Despite persuasions, he refused holy orders for a long time, until he was ordained at the insistence of Archbishop Serapion. Even after becoming abbot, he did not shy away from physical labor, showing the brethren an example of humility and hardworking service. With his participation, a mill was built, and later a stone church was built instead of a wooden one.

The saint became famous for his spiritual insight and the gift of a miracle worker, according to legend, his prayer had healing power. In the last years of his life, the monk built a temple in honor of the Intercession of the Mother of God, and before his death he witnessed another miraculous phenomenon — the Blessed Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus in her arms surrounded by angels. He took this event as a confirmation of the heavenly patronage over the monastery.

Alexander Svirsky died in 1533, bequeathing the brotherhood to preserve humility and strict monastic rules. And in 1641, his relics were found incorruptible. After the revolution, they were almost destroyed, but in 1998 they were returned to the Church and placed back in the Alexander Svir Monastery, where they are kept to this day.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated in Russia on September 12

In the national calendar, the holiday was named "Alexander Sytnik". It came after a one-day strict fast dedicated to the Beheading of the head of St. John the Baptist. On September 12, large feasts were held in Russia with barley porridge with milk, bread made from new harvest grain, and homemade cakes. The main symbol of the day was a hearty pie. They were treated to relatives, guests, and neighbors and were told: "It's satisfying to live with bread."

The day began with a visit to the temple, the faithful turned to the saints with a prayer for intercession, help in family matters and spiritual guidance. Young spouses, especially those who dreamed of a son, turned to Alexander Svirsky with prayers, asking him to fulfill their cherished desires. It was believed that it helps in the birth of heirs, and also helps to strengthen the family.

On September 12, special importance was attached to the ceremony of "curling the field" — the peasants intertwined barley stalks with oats and flax, and read fertility spells. Also on this day, they arranged meetings with friends, engaged in needlework, knitted, and told each other intimate stories. The day was considered favorable for spiritual conversations and reconciliation.

What not to do on the Alexander Sytnik holiday on September 12th

In the folk tradition, the day was considered dangerous, since any rash action, aggression towards other people could return a hundredfold. In order not to provoke trouble and not lose luck, it was necessary to avoid quarrels, gossip, slander and swearing.

Envy, jealousy and resentment were also banned on the holiday — not only bad deeds, but also negative emotions, according to beliefs, could alienate a person's well-being.

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What else you can't do on September 12th:

• make purchases — the new thing will quickly deteriorate, get lost or break;
• greeting the first person who entered the house — the first guest was considered a messenger of fate in Russia, and he could not be called or hugged.;
• Drying pillows and bed linen can lead to bad dreams and emotional exhaustion.;
• counting small change before noon is a risk of attracting small expenses and poverty.;
• Washing your hair can cause you to lose your hair or get sick.

Folk signs for September 12th

On September 12, peasants carefully observed nature in order to make a weather forecast for the coming months.:

• if there are a lot of mountain ash in the forest, the autumn months will be rainy and cold.;
• the night from 11 to 12 September is warm and starry — for a rich harvest next year;
• Bees seal the hive — winter will come early;
• birds fly high and are in no hurry to fly away — autumn will be warm and long.;
• spider webs on plants — for a warm and dry autumn.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the history of the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist.