A special national holiday on April 11 is Bereschenye: history, traditions, omens

Every year on April 11, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Mark of Arefusa, a martyr who suffered for his faith during the reign of Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate. In the national calendar, the holiday is called Markov Day, or Birding. In 2026, it falls on a Saturday. Read about the history of the celebration, its traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

Bereschenye-2026: the history of the holiday

Saint Mark lived in the fourth century of the Syrian Arefousia. He was appointed to the chair during the reign of Constantine the Great, when the era of open persecution of Christianity was over and the new faith was rapidly strengthening its position in the Roman Empire. The clergyman became famous as a zealous fighter against paganism, destroyed the local temple and built a Christian temple in its place.

Later, during the ecclesiastical disputes after the Council of Nicaea, Mark was for some time among the semi-Arian bishops who recognized the high dignity of Jesus, but did not accept the church teaching about His consubstantiality with God the Father. He participated in the councils of Sardica in 343 and Sirmium in 351, and in 359 he tried to promote reconciliation between the warring parties. However, he soon openly abandoned his previous misconceptions and firmly sided with Orthodoxy.

The new emperor Julian, who came to power in 361, tried to restore pagan cults and actually gave the signal for new persecution of Christians, for which he received the nickname Apostate. In Arefusia, local idolaters, who had long hated Mark for the destroyed sanctuary, decided to take advantage of the patronage of the authorities and punish the bishop.

At first, Mark was hiding, but when he learned that other Christians had been captured instead, he came to the tormentors himself. The elder was brutally tortured and demanded to restore the pagan temple or pay for its destruction. But the saint refused.

The saint's steadfastness made a strong impression on those around him. According to church sources, some pagans, impressed by his courage and firmness, converted to Christianity themselves. The persecutors eventually released Mark, having achieved neither repentance, nor compensation for damages, nor a promise to restore the sanctuary. He died peacefully around the year 364, remaining in the church's memory as a confessor of the faith.

The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: a story without which there would be no Easter

In 2026, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated on April 7.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated on April 11

For the peasants, the middle of April was a time of awakening of nature, the movement of juices and the transition to a new seasonal cycle. Therefore, in Russia, the memory of St. Mark was combined with an older Slavic custom — the veneration of the birch tree. This is how Birching arose — the spring festival of one of the most significant trees for the Russian tradition, which in the popular consciousness was associated with vitality, purity, health and spring renewal.

The main tradition of Birching was "meeting with birch trees." The ancestors went to the groves, checked if the sap had gone, asked the tree for peace in the house, protection from diseases and troubles. It was believed that it was especially easy to get rid of heavy thoughts and inner anxiety in Birching — the trunk could "absorb" a negative state. Pregnant women put their palms to him, asking for a safe birth and good health for the child.

Young unmarried girls dressed up and went to the birches in the hope of meeting a worthy groom soon. In some places, dances were performed around the tree, referring to it as a symbol of youth, beauty and a happy female destiny.

The ancestors also highly valued birch sap. They drank it fresh to strengthen their strength after the winter or prepared festive sbitni — hot drinks with honey and spices, which were considered especially useful in the changeable April weather. It was certainly harvested for future use as a natural remedy for maintaining energy and health, and stored in barrels, adding oak bark, cherry leaves, currants, lime blossom and honey.

In the old days, on April 11, they always went to the sauna to steam with birch brooms in order to "wash off" the winter heaviness, banish fatigue from the body and meet the warm season renewed. And the children were lightly spanked with birch twigs, collected in advance, hoping that after that they would be stronger and more cheerful.

The weeping birch was associated with the memory of ancestors and the spirit world. Therefore, people came to such trees for support and advice. There was also a belief that on the night of Birching, strange, disturbing or unusual dreams could occur. They were perceived as a hint, a warning, or a sign worth considering without fuss.

Palm Sunday: the main meaning of the holiday, which is forgotten

In 2026, the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem will be celebrated on April 5.

What not to do on the holiday of Birding

On the feast of Birching in Russia, there were a number of prohibitions regarding human interaction with wildlife. On April 11, it was forbidden to cut down trees, break branches and light a fire in the forest. Such actions were considered aggression against the very power of spring. For this, according to beliefs, violators could "pay off" with diseases, poverty and family discord. The ancestors tried to live the day quietly, respectfully, without gross interference in the environment.

What else is forbidden to do on April 11:

• chopping down a birch tree or breaking its branches will bring misfortune, weaken your health and deprive your home of well—being.;
• to light bonfires in the forest and near it — a fire in a shelter can bring anxiety and losses to the family;
• going into the water and wetting your feet in ice—free reservoirs is unsafe during this period and can "drag" a person into trouble.;
• to wash and not hang clothes on the street — along with dried clothes, troubles and anxiety will enter the house.;
• sewing, knitting and embroidery — doing needlework can lead to illnesses and protracted troubles.;
• making noise and brawling near birches — according to beliefs, birch is a living amulet, therefore rudeness next to it is considered a bad sign.

Folk signs for April 11

In Bereschenye, the peasants carefully observed nature, trying to make a forecast based on signs, what the summer would be like and what to expect from autumn. Our ancestors believed that whatever the weather was going to be on the holiday, it would be the same on October 11th.

• Thunder rumbles on April 11 — the summer will be cold;
• heavy rain — for a good harvest in autumn;
• sap is flowing from the birch tree — frosts are expected soon;
• the birch blossomed earlier than the alder — the summer will be dry.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of the special Matryona Nastovitsa holiday.