A special holiday on January 17 is Zosima Pchelnik: history, traditions, omens
Every year on January 17, Orthodox believers remember the Venerable Martyr Zosima, who lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. In the national calendar, the holiday was named Zosima Bee. In 2026, it falls on a Saturday. Read about the history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions of this date in the Izvestia article.
What is the church holiday on January 17th?
The martyr Zosima lived in the III–IV centuries of Cilicia during the era of severe persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. From a young age, he chose the path of severe asceticism, went into the desert, completely entrusting his fate to God. The ascetic led a strict ascetic life, but at the same time he was distinguished by an amazing gentleness of character and compassion for people.
According to church tradition, in the desert Zosima lived in peace with wild animals, they did not attack him. The hunters said that the elder seemed to be talking to them as if they were intelligent beings.
It was during the hunt that the ruler of Cilicia, Dometian, noticed an unusual elder. Zosima was captured and brought in for questioning. When asked who he was and what explained his power over the beasts, the ascetic answered briefly that he was a Christian and lived among the beasts because he could not share his life with the persecutors of Jesus. For refusing to sacrifice to pagan gods, he was sent to torment.
Despite the brutality of the torture, the saint remained alive, and his steadfastness only increased the respect of those who unwittingly witnessed what was happening. Christian sources describe an episode when the tormentors demanded a miracle from Zosima — to summon a beast that would prove the power of his faith. The saint turned to God with a prayer, and a huge lion appeared at the place of execution, who, according to legend, spoke in a human voice.
Upon seeing the beast submit to the saint, those present felt fear and confusion. Zosima was released, considering what was happening to be a sign. One of those close to the authorities, Athanasius, who held the position of a commentary (an official in charge of prison affairs), saw that the ascetic remained unharmed after all he had experienced, believed and was baptized.
Traditions of the national holiday of Zosima Pchelnik on January 17
In the folk tradition, Zosima was considered the protector of all those who work with animals, from shepherds to beekeepers. It was this connection that eventually made the saint the patron saint of bees and beekeepers, and the holiday was named Zosima Pchelnik.
In Russia, the winter and summer Zosima of the Bee-bee were distinguished. The winter date was associated with an inner, spiritual mood for the coming season. On January 17, beekeepers planned work on the apiary, asked the saint to protect the hives and good honey collection.
Zosima Bee—day is the day that ends Yuletide. In Russia, he was considered one of the most dangerous. On January 17, according to beliefs, witches, warlocks, and kikimores "wandered" through villages, trying to harm people. Therefore, the ancestors conducted symbolic rituals of "removing evil spirits" from the village. Men wore sheepskin coats with their fur out, as if "turning inside out" the usual order of things and becoming immune to the dark forces. They picked up pokers, grips and torches, walked around the courtyards, made noise, banged with iron, struck sparks — all this was supposed to scare away evil spirits who were afraid of bright flames and loud ringing.
The thistle had a special place in the rituals. The dried buds of this plant were collected in advance and stored in the house, on January 17 they were fixed on clothes, hung over doorways or near the stove. The prickly stem and leaves were perceived by the ancestors as a natural "shield" from evil. Along with the thistle, incense was used — small bags with consecrated incense and herbs, which were sewn into clothes as a personal talisman.
On this day, the housewives always put dishes with honey on the table: honey cakes, sweet porridges, pies and drinks. Some of the treats were kept until spring, and they were symbolically "treated" to bees when they woke up after wintering. Another good tradition is to share honey treats with neighbors and those in need. Generosity to Zosima, according to beliefs, returned with a "sweet" life, prosperity and peace in the house.
In Russia, Yuletide time was traditionally considered favorable for fortune-telling. On the evening of January 17th, the ancestors tried to look into the future, to find out how life would turn out. To do this, they went outside and carefully looked at the winter sky, waiting for "hints". If it was studded with stars, they made a wish, according to beliefs, it will definitely come true. If the dipper of the Big Dipper was located to the right of the Milky Way, this promised an early matchmaking and wedding for unmarried girls.
It was also customary to appease animals on the Zosima of the Beehive. The cats were given milk or sour cream, and the dogs were treated to sugar cubes. It was believed that this was how the owner asked God for protection for all the animals in the household and thereby strengthened the well-being of the family.
What not to do on the feast of Zosima Bee
The feast of Zosima the Bee-hunter in the folk tradition was associated with a number of strict prohibitions. Many of them were addressed to the inner mood of a person, how he relates to the house, animals and his own words.
For example, on this day it was forbidden to offend pets — to beat, push or roughly drive away cats, dogs, cattle. Even a seemingly innocent shout was considered a bad sign. According to beliefs, any cruelty could turn into a serious illness or a long streak of failures for the owner.
What else you can't do on January 17th:
- swearing, cursing, especially with the mention of evil spirits — upon hearing her "name", she can enter the house and harm the tenants, take away money, peace and love;
- to brawl and sort things out — the conflict started on this day will last until spring itself.;
- throwing away honey and sweets — Saint Zosima can "punish" a family for disrespect and deprive them of wealth;
- going into the forest without an urgent need is a risk of "catching the eye" of a goblin and not returning.;
- to be envious and gloat — bad thoughts can turn into losses during the year.
Folk signs for January 17th
On the Zosima of the Bee-bee, the peasants carefully observed nature. These "hints" were used to determine what the rest of winter and spring would be like, and whether the year would be fruitful.:
- a full moon in a clear sky leads to a strong spring flood;
- lots of snow on the trees — for a rich honey harvest in summer;
- the cry of a fox can be heard in the forest — to a blizzard and strong winds;
- a hard frost on the Winter — the cold will not recede for a long time.
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history and spiritual significance of a special holiday, Gordeyev Day.
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