A special national holiday on October 12 is Feofan the Merciful: history, traditions, omens

Every year on October 12, Orthodox believers remember the Venerable Theophanes the Merciful and Cyriacus the Hermit. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Feofan the Merciful and symbolizes the brief return of autumn warmth. In 2025, the date falls on a Sunday. Read about its history, spiritual significance, rituals and signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on October 12th?

On October 12, Orthodox believers honor the memory of two great ascetics, the Venerable Theophanes the Merciful and Cyriacus the Hermit. These saints lived in different centuries, but they were united by a common desire for self-denial, which is why they were awarded the title "reverend", which in the church hierarchy is assigned to monks who have achieved high spiritual purity through asceticism, prayer and service to their neighbor.

St. Theophan the Merciful was born in the city of Gaza in the IV century. From a young age, he showed extraordinary responsiveness, and his house was a refuge for the wanderers and the needy. He spent his entire fortune on charity, having been left without means of livelihood. But the saint did not complain about fate, considering poverty a voluntary payment for serving people.

A serious ordeal for Feofan was the disease that disfigured his body — it was covered with ulcers. But even in moments of suffering, he continued to pray and thank God for every moment of his life. One day a terrible storm broke out over Gaza, at that moment the wife of the dying monk was crying at his bedside. But the saint meekly comforted the woman: "The ordeal is over, and at the hour of my death the storm will subside." And so it happened — immediately after his death, the sky cleared, and his body, covered with wounds, was miraculously cleansed, and fragrant, healing myrrh dripped from it.

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Together with Theophanes, on this day they remember St. Cyriacus the Hermit, who was born in Corinth in the 5th century. In his youth, touched by the words of the Gospel, he secretly left home and went to Jerusalem to begin the path of spiritual asceticism.

After visiting the holy places in Jerusalem, Cyriacus spent several months in a monastery near Zion, where, with the blessing of the abbot, he went to the Lavra of Euthymius the Great. Seeing the spiritual gifts in the young man, he tonsured him into a monk and placed him under the leadership of St. Gerasim of Jordan. Cyriacus fasted strictly, prayed, slept for several hours and ate modestly. Several times he retreated with his mentor to the desert, where he underwent special spiritual strengthening.

After the death of his teachers, Cyriacus labored in silence, later became a deacon, and then a presbyter. He lived for 30 years in the monastery of St. Khariton, strictly observing fasting and practicing night prayer. At the age of 70, the saint retired to the desert of Natuf, then to Ruva and Susakim. There he healed people, lived as a hermit, ate bitter herbs and prayed.

At the age of 80, the monk settled in a deserted valley where King David had once prayed. According to legend, a lion served him there, guarding the elder from robbers and eating from his hands. Later, the brethren of the monastery asked him to return because of the epidemic and crop failure. Cyriacus agreed, settling in Khariton's cave, he continued his prayer feat.

Saint Cyriacus actively fought against the heresy of the Origenites, convincing those who had gone astray by word and example. He was honored with the appearance of the Virgin Mary, who called him to keep his faith pure. The monk became famous not only for his asceticism, but also for his spiritual perspicacity. He healed the sick, cast out evil spirits, and guided them on the path of faith.

Despite the harsh living conditions, Cyriacus lived to be 109 years old, maintaining mental clarity, physical strength and spiritual strength to the last day. The saint died in his cave, surrounded by his disciples, blessing the brethren and leaving behind an example of perseverance and absolute devotion to the Lord.

Traditions of the Feofan the Merciful national holiday on October 12

The images of both saints, Theophanes and Cyriacus, are closely intertwined in the folk tradition. One symbolizes mercy and patience, the other — wisdom, solitude and faith. On this day in Russia, it was customary to especially honor travelers and show generosity.

The ancestors believed that on October 12, Feofan "wraps" the cold sun, which causes a short-term warming. The weather on this day became a symbol of blessed respite, for which the saint was called the Merciful. "The monk covers us with his caftan," the ancestors said.

In the national calendar, the holiday had several other names: Feofan, Kiriak, Otkhodnik and even Maremyana. It combined several meanings at once — spiritual, natural and everyday. This day was an important date for hunters, as the beginning of seasonal fishing took place in mid-October.

According to legend, it was on this day that the first snowfall fell on the fields, while the hares had not yet had time to change their summer fur coat for a winter one. This contrast made them an easy target. Hunting them on this day was considered symbolic — rich prey was considered a good omen, and the captured animals were called birthday ones.

In the villages, the morning traditionally began with a service — visiting the temple on the feast day of St. Theophan the Merciful was an obligatory and pious task. There were always many people in need at the church gates on such days, and it was considered an unworthy act to pass by them without giving. Even a modest gift or a word of support was of great importance — it was important not to turn away from a person in trouble.

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On this day, women visited the lonely, elderly and infirm, helped with cleaning, cooked food, and brought treats. The ancestors believed that sincere service to one's neighbor would not remain without a spiritual response. Also, on October 12, it was customary to share the game with neighbors, as hunters followed the spirit of the holiday.

In the evening, quiet feasts were held, without noisy festivities, but in the warm company of relatives and friends. Such meetings symbolized unity, good neighborliness and gratitude.

The pilgrims were treated with special respect on this day. Travelers were always invited into the house and offered treats. People believed that the hospitality provided would bring blessings and well-being to the house.

What not to do on the feast of Theophanes the Merciful

In the popular consciousness, St. Theophan's memorial day was a time when the need for inner kindness, participation and compassion was especially acutely felt. The saint himself rejected hoarding from an early age, did not tolerate greed and indifference, considering them grave sins.

Therefore, on October 12 in Russia it was strictly forbidden to pass by those asking for help. Violating this prohibition was perceived as an unworthy act, and the miser, according to beliefs, lost the grace of God and luck.

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

• picking up money from the ground leads to financial losses and protracted difficulties.;
• to lend — with money you can give away personal happiness;
• drinking alcohol — even a small amount of it can lead to quarrels and tension in the family;
• quarreling with your loved ones will be extremely difficult to reconcile.;
• Telling women the exact time of her husband's departure for hunting is a bad omen that can cause trouble, injury or bad luck.;
• Telling hunters about their prey can attract envious people, and the evil eye can lead to a shortage of food or money in the future.;
• making dates and looking for romantic acquaintances — such a meeting promises only disappointment and emotional wounds.;
• conducting rituals of love magic can lead to prolonged loneliness.

Folk signs for October 12

On October 12, peasants closely monitored nature to determine what weather to expect in the coming months.:

• there is a thick fog in the evening — autumn will be long, warm and dry;
• thunder in the afternoon — you need to prepare for a snowy and frosty winter;
• clear and starry sky at night — for a bountiful harvest next year;
• a large number of mushrooms in the forest — the cold weather will not come soon;
• The north wind on Feofan leads to a cold and snowy winter;
• the leaves from the birch and oak had completely flown off — warm months with moderate frosts were coming.;
• The hares have not yet changed their fur coats for winter, due to late frosts and unstable weather.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the spiritual significance, traditions and signs of the national holiday Kharitonov Day.