The priest listed the strict prohibitions on the day of the Nativity of John the Baptist

In the church tradition, the Nativity of John the Baptist is considered primarily as a day of prayer and thanksgiving, which does not involve any special strict additional regulations. John Stepanchuk, a cleric of the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Vidnom, told Izvestia about this.

"On this day, believers try to visit the temple and pray to St. John the Baptist during the Divine Liturgy. There is no strict fasting on the day itself, as on the feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist, but the day is still a fast day, since Peter's Fast runs until July 12," he said.

In honor of the holiday, the church allows indulgences in nutrition: fish and a little red wine are allowed, while meat, dairy products and eggs remain prohibited.

At the same time, the church emphasizes that common household restrictions among the people — for example, prohibitions on needlework, the use of knives or cooking certain dishes — do not belong to Orthodox teaching and are superstitions. Believers are also advised to separate the Christian meaning of the holiday from pagan ritual traditions.

Read more in the Izvestia article:

The Nativity of John the Baptist – 2026: the true meaning of the great Orthodox holiday