A special holiday on December 8 is St. Clement's Day: history, traditions, omens

In Russia, on December 8, the national holiday Klim the Cold, or Clement's Day, is celebrated, associated with the name of the early Christian holy martyr Clement, the Pope of Rome. This date in Russia was traditionally considered a milestone, after which winter came into its own, and life was subject to special rules. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Monday. Izvestia tells about the customs, signs and prohibitions of this day.

What is the church holiday on December 8th?

The Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Martyr Clement on December 8 (November 25, Old Style). His life, full of dramatic events and miraculous reunions, became the basis for honoring this saint as the patron saint of families, children and travelers.

Saint Clement was born into a noble Roman family in the 1st century. Since childhood, he was separated from his parents, who, he believed, died in a shipwreck, and sought the meaning of life in philosophy. Later, having learned about Christ, the saint went to Judea, where he met the apostle Peter and was baptized by him, becoming his closest disciple.

It was the Apostle Peter who contributed to the appointment of Clement as the fourth bishop of Rome, and then as Pope. A family reunion also took place with Peter's participation: during one of the sermons, Clement met his mother, father, and his lost brothers. After the miraculous event, they were also baptized.

When the persecution of Christians began under Emperor Trajan, Clement was detained and exiled to hard labor in a quarry near Tauric Chersonesos (modern Sevastopol). But he continued to preach there. For this, by order of the emperor, the martyr was tied to an anchor and drowned in the sea.

Clement's body was found by his loyal associates. According to legend, through their prayers, the sea receded, revealing the incorruptible relics of the saint. Several centuries later, Prince Vladimir, having been baptized in Chersonesos, transported part of the relics to Kiev. They became one of the first Russian Christian shrines.

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Traditions of the national holiday Klimentyev day on December 8th

In the popular consciousness, the image of St. Clement merged with the onset of cold weather, which was reflected in his nickname — Cold. From that time on, we expected strong, "Klimentovsky" frosts. Therefore, the main traditions of the holiday were related to the preparation for the long winter.

According to custom, the morning began with a prayer to the saint. He was approached with requests for children's health, family harmony, help on the road and overcoming life difficulties. After that, we started household chores and only after that we sat down to breakfast. In the old days, there was a belief that all important things on this day should be started on an empty stomach. People used to say, "Satiety makes you lazy, but the cold makes you work."

In the evening, the women sat at the windows to spin, embroider, knit or weave lace. It was believed that with the fall of snow in the huts it became much lighter, so evening hours were devoted to needlework. The created products were later given to loved ones on family holidays and sold at Christmas markets.

Unmarried girls performed rituals to attract their betrothed. To do this, a bead or ribbon was buried near the house, pronouncing special spells. The young men also made "ice secrets." But they buried nails or splinters to lure profitable work.

What not to do on December 8 on St. Clement's Day

On Klima Kholodny, as on other national holidays, a set of rules was established designed to protect people from harm and the tricks of evil spirits. The ancestors believed that with the onset of winter, the evil spirit Treskun (or Student) wakes up, which sends fierce cold and snowstorms. However, complaining about the weather on this day was strictly forbidden. It was believed that the Crackler would hear and send even more severe frost or illness.

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What else can not be done on December 8:

• swearing, quarreling and interfering in other people's conflicts — negative energy on this day can attract troubles.;
• Planning important things and making hasty decisions can have unexpected and unpleasant consequences.;
• to lend money in the morning — it was believed that the funds given would not return soon, and with them financial well-being would go away.;
• Leaving the house unnecessarily, especially at night, is a risk of encountering a wild animal or freezing to death.;
• to take anything out of the house after sunset — through these objects, dark forces can damage;
• sweeping the floor in the evening — together with the litter, you can "sweep" the well-being out of the house.

Folk signs for December 8th

Observing natural phenomena, the peasants made forecasts for the winter and planned future agricultural work. The signs of this day were considered especially true, as they fell at the beginning of a stable winter period. If it snowed heavily on Klimentyev day, it promised a rainy, wet summer. And if by this time there was already a dense snow cover, they expected a rich harvest next year.

Other signs of the day:

• The roosters crowed early in the morning — for the imminent warming;
• frost has covered the dry grass — there will be snowfall;
• The sparrows chirp together and hide in the brushwood — in case of severe frost.;
• The moon in a white circle leads to a snowstorm;
• A woodpecker knocks on a tree — in bad weather;
• poultry is plucked — for prolonged cold weather.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions of the national holiday Mitrofanov Day.

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