A special holiday on April 2 is Fotinya Kolodeznitsa: history, traditions, omens

Every year, Orthodox believers honor the memory of Saint Fotina Samaritana, with whom, according to church tradition, Jesus Christ conversed at Jacob's well. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Fotinya Kolodeznitsa. In 2026, it falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on April 2?

The Holy Martyr Fotina is considered to be the Samaritan woman with whom Jesus Christ conversed at Jacob's well. This episode is described in the Gospel of John. During the conversation, the Savior asked the woman for water and told her about "living water," after which she believed and told others about him.

According to legend, Fotina lived in Carthage during the time of Emperor Nero, who unleashed severe persecution against the followers of Jesus. Despite this, the future saint, along with her youngest son Josiah, openly preached Christianity. Her eldest son Victor was serving in the Roman army at the time. For his services in the battles, he was appointed military commander in Attalia, a city in Asia Minor.

The mayor, Sebastian, knowing that Victor, his mother and brother profess Christianity, advised them to obey the will of the emperor and renounce their faith. However, he was refused — even the promised reward did not help.

The hagiography says that at the same moment, Sebastian felt a sharp pain in his eyes, became blind and numb. For three days he lay motionless and could not speak, and on the fourth he suddenly announced that only the Christian faith was true. After that, the ruler of the city was baptized and immediately regained his sight. His servants, who witnessed the incident, were baptized after him.

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Rumors of what had happened reached Nero, and the emperor ordered the Christians to be brought to Rome. According to legend, the Lord strengthened the confessors before future sufferings. At the same time, Viktor received the name Fotin, which means "Luminous."

During the trial, Nero demanded that Fotina, her sons, and their companions renounce Christ. All of them refused, for which they were sentenced to severe torture and imprisonment. But even during the torment, the woman did not stop praying and preaching.

Three years later, Nero was informed that Sebastianus, Fotinus, and Josiah, who had been blinded and thrown into prison, were not only alive, but also fully healed. Moreover, the prison has become a place where people come to listen to their sermon.

Then the emperor ordered the martyrs to be crucified upside down. Three days later, the guards sent to check if the convicts were alive went blind. According to legend, after the prayers of the martyrs, they regained their sight and also believed in Christ.

Having failed to renounce, Nero ordered the confessors to be subjected to new tortures and then executed. It is known that Saint Fotina was thrown into a well, where she died.

Traditions of the folk festival Fotinya Kolodeznitsa on April 2

In Russia, the name of Saint Fotina was transformed into the more familiar Fotinia. She received the nickname Well Girl in memory of Christ's evangelical encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. Therefore, it was water that became the main symbol of this date.

The day began with washing and drinking from the well — the ancestors believed that well water acquires a special power on Fotinya. The sick used it as medicine, the healthy — "for strength" to protect themselves from illness, to preserve vigor, freshness and beauty. It was sprinkled on the yard, house and garden beds, hoping to protect the farm from spoilage, rot and pests, and at the same time to summon a good harvest.

Believers began the morning of the holiday with a visit to the church. The saint was revered as the intercessor of ordinary people, an assistant in family matters and a protector from fever, which was especially feared in the changeable spring season. They prayed to her for health, mental fortitude, prosperity, peace in the home and the well-being of the children.

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If someone in the family was ill, they wrote an appeal to the saint on paper, wrapped the sheet in a cloth and put it around the patient's neck. After three or nine days, the paper should be removed, burned over a candle, and the ashes swallowed. According to legend, this helped to "reverse" the disease.

Another custom was related to wealth. In some villages on Fotinja, it was customary to "cajole" the land at the beginning of the season so that it would return not only the harvest, but also material well-being to the person. To do this, the ancestors secretly went out into the field and buried three nickels. They did this without witnesses, hoping that after such a ritual, the money would "flow into the house like a river."

It was also customary to "glorify" flax, which the ancestors associated with a woman's share, home, needlework and a future wedding. The best linen clothes were taken outside, hung on fences, gates, woodpiles, showing prosperity. The girls took long linen towels and danced with them. It was believed that such a festive celebration helps to attract good suitors.

What not to do on the Fotinya Kolodeznitsa holiday

In Russia, the Fotinya Well had strict rules for handling water. According to beliefs, disrespect for springs and wells could lead to diseases and troubles.

A special ban applied to yesterday's water, it should not be used either for drinking or cooking, as it could deprive a person of strength and health. But there was one exception — such a drink was given to travelers.

It was necessary to handle money no less carefully on a holiday, so as not to scare off prosperity.

What else you can't do on April 2:

• counting money leads to loss of wealth, prolonged need;
• Sharing plans and secrets — your plans may not come true;
• offend and slaughter chickens and ducks — the bird will stop laying and giving offspring;
• to show the dowry to girls: according to legend, it is more difficult for a girl to get married after that.

Folk signs for April 2

At the Fotinya Well, the ancestors closely monitored the weather, especially the behavior of animals, in order to determine by signs what weather to expect in the coming weeks, whether summer and autumn would be favorable, and whether the harvest would be generous.

• Rain on April 2 — there will be a lot of mushrooms in autumn;
• It's hot during the day and cold at night, and the weather will be fine in the coming days.;
• a lot of meltwater — a lot of young grass will grow in May;
• On the night of Fotinha, the sky is covered with stars — the warmth will not come soon;
• birds build their nests on the sunny side — for a cold summer;
• Clouds are moving against the wind, and birds are circling in the sky — leading to heavy precipitation in the coming days.;
• A cat sleeps curled up in a ball, leading to a cold snap, and if it asks to go outside, it will soon warm up.;
• The wagtails have arrived, and the ice drift will begin in about 12 days.;
• A dog howls at the moon at night — for windy weather;
• there is still snow on the ground with a prickly infusion — the year will be fruitful.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the main prohibitions of the Annunciation.