A special holiday on November 10 is Paraskeva Linyanitsa (Friday): history, traditions, omens

Every year on November 10, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the Great Martyr Paraskeva. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Monday. In the national calendar, it is called Paraskeva Linyanitsa or Friday. Read about the history, traditions and signs of the holiday in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on November 10th?

The Great Martyr Paraskeva was born in the 3rd century in the city of Iconium, located in Asia Minor. Her parents especially revered Friday as the day of the sufferings of Jesus Christ on the cross, so they gave their daughter a name that means "Friday" in Greek. Orphaned at an early age, Paraskeva took a vow of virginity and devoted herself to spreading the Christian faith among pagans.

In 300, the military commander of Emperor Diocletian arrived in the city with instructions to destroy all Christians. Paraskeva refused to sacrifice to idols, for which she was severely tortured. The wounded girl was thrown into a dungeon, but the next morning her body miraculously healed. However, this did not stop the executioners. They continued to torture the saint, and then beheaded her with a sword. The body of the Great Martyr was buried by Christians. According to church tradition, numerous healings took place from her relics.

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Traditions of the national holiday Paraskeva Linyanitsa (Friday) November 10

In the Orthodox tradition, Paraskeva has long been especially loved by believers. In Russia, special roadside chapels were built in her honor, which were called Fridays. The saint was considered the patroness of fields and livestock, as well as the main helper and intercessor of women. They prayed to her for a good harvest, family happiness, healing of illnesses, the birth of healthy children and the restoration of harmony between spouses.

The feast of Saint Paraskeva was considered especially significant if it fell on a Friday. The week of the celebration was called Friday Week.

In the popular consciousness, the image of the Christian Great Martyr was combined with the pagan goddess of fertility Makoshya, who was also called Friday. People believed that she especially favored women and children, helping them in various aspects of life. A special ceremony was held in her honor: they took fabrics, threads, flax tow (purified fiber), sheep's wool and threw it into a well with a wooden sculpture of Friday as a sacrifice. It was believed that this would bring good luck and prosperity.

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On Paraskeva, women were released from work, they were only allowed to knead and ruffle flax. Unmarried girls participated in the so-called linen screenings. They showed off their tattered linen, trying to show their skills to potential suitors and future mothers-in-law.

On the feast day, the icons of the Great Martyr Paraskeva were decorated with flowers and herbs. These plants were considered medicinal — they were then applied to sore spots, used to make medicinal decoctions and added to the bathing water for children.

What not to do on November 10 on the day of Paraskeva Linyanitsa (Friday)

The ancestors associated various prohibitions and superstitions with the day of Paraskeva Friday. Women knew that it was forbidden to swear and raise their voices at children and relatives on a holiday. It was believed that this could destroy the family hearth, which would be very difficult to restore.

What else can't be done on November 10th:

• doing needlework can make you sick;
• Laughing at others — other people's troubles can go to the scoffer's house.;
• Washing hair and bathing children can cause illnesses in children and memory loss in adults.;
• changing bed linen leads to family troubles and deception;
• to lend money to pregnant women is believed to be the way to "give away" the fate of an unborn child.

Folk signs for November 10

On Paraskeva, the ancestors closely watched nature, hoping to determine what the weather would be like in the near future. If it snowed on a holiday, but the cherry leaves had not yet fallen, they understood that winter would not come soon. There were other signs, too:

• frost on the trees — frosts are coming soon;
• morning fog leads to warming;
• the moon is in a foggy haze — the weather will turn bad;
• heavy snowfall — spring will be early;
• There is no wind blowing at night — it will get colder soon.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and traditions of Dmitriev's Day.