February 3 is a special national holiday — Maximov Day: history, traditions, omens

On February 3, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Maximus the Greek, an outstanding theologian and translator, whose life became an example of perseverance and faith. In the folk tradition, this day was called Maxim's Day or Maxim the Comforter and was considered important for strengthening family ties. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Tuesday. Izvestia tells about the customs, signs and prohibitions of this day.

What is the church holiday on February 3rd?

St. Maximus the Greek was born at the end of the 15th century in the Greek village of Arta. He received a brilliant education, traveled a lot, studied languages and sciences in European countries. At the age of 35, he went to Mount Athos, where he took vows at the Vatopedi Monastery.

However, Maxim the Greek spent most of his life in Russia, where he arrived at the request of Grand Duke Vasily III of Moscow to translate spiritual books kept in the archive of his mother Sophia Paleologue.

The Greek's activities were not limited to translations. He created a princely library and corrected earlier Slavic books for worship, including the Psalms, finding many errors in them. Defending his case, Maxim fell out of favor and spent many years in prison.

Despite the persecution, the theologian continued to write and translate. Only at the end of his life was he allowed to settle in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, where he died on February 3 (January 21, Old style), 1556, at the age of 86. Almost four centuries later, Maxim the Greek was canonized by the Russian Church as a monk.

Today, he is revered as the patron saint of scientists, theologians, translators, and students. They turn to him for help in studying, strengthening faith, as well as in situations of unfair accusations and persecution, asking for patience, wisdom and solace in life's trials.

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Traditions of the national holiday Maximov day on February 3rd

In the folk tradition, the day of memory of Maxim the Greek was called "Maxim the Comforter." He was entirely devoted to caring for his family, fostering peace in the home, and doing good deeds. The central event of the holiday was the marriage strengthening ceremony. At dawn, the husband and wife went out into the courtyard, held hands and together shook the frost from the apple tree, saying the words: "What God has joined, man cannot separate."

This ritual symbolized unity, mutual support and joint overcoming of difficulties by spouses. Our ancestors believed that in this way it was possible to protect the family from discord, quarrels and the machinations of ill-wishers. It was also believed that such an action would bring prosperity and prosperity to the house.

The apartment itself was carefully cleaned. The housewives swept out the trash, getting rid of family troubles and quarrels with it, and ensured the cleanliness of household utensils, especially dishes. Leaving unwashed plates and mugs was a bad omen, which promised destitution and poverty.

Another important tradition was to remember with a kind word all those who had ever come to the rescue. Moreover, gratitude had to be expressed not only in words. A person was expected to do a good deed in return, for example, by caring for widows, orphans, or needy neighbors. Thus, the circle had to do good without interrupting the tradition.

What not to do on February 3 on Maximov Day

On Maximov's Day, there was a strict set of prohibitions. Observing these rules was supposed to protect the family from discord, and the house from the penetration of negative energy. On a holiday, it was strictly forbidden to quarrel and swear, especially with relatives. According to beliefs, anger could destroy family peace for a long time and even lead to divorce. They were also afraid to pick up money or jewelry they found from the ground, believing that through them they could "raise" someone else's misfortune or be exposed to the evil eye.

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What else can't be done on February 3rd:

• celebrating loudly, singing songs and drinking alcohol — the day was considered quiet, prayerful and not intended for entertainment;
• to start new important business — they will not be successful or will only bring trouble.;
• Complaining about fate will only make the problems worse.;
• swearing and wishing harm to others — according to beliefs, all the words uttered on this day had a special power and could harm a person.;
• to lend or borrow money leads to losses and financial difficulties.

Folk signs for February 3rd

The weather signs on Maximov Day were closely related to the expectation of spring and the future harvest. So, a cloudless sunny day foreshadowed that the frosts would last, but spring itself would come quickly. If a clear moon rose in the evening, surrounded by shining stars, it promised a hot summer, which forced the peasants to prepare in advance for a possible drought.

Other signs of the day:

• A clear dawn leads to frost, and a foggy and pale dawn leads to a thaw.;
• If bullfinches started singing on a frosty day, this is a sure sign of an imminent warming.;
• heavy snowfall on February 3 leads to a warm but rainy spring;
• Frost on the trees — there will be a lot of bread in summer;
• the stars shine brightly at night and seem especially large — for a good harvest of flax.

Earlier, Izvestia told about the traditions and signs of the national holiday Yefimov Day.

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