A special national holiday on July 4 is Ulyanovsk Day: history, traditions, omens

Every year on July 4, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the Martyr Julian of Tarsus, a Christian from Cilicia who suffered during the persecution under Emperor Diocletian. In the national calendar, the date is known as Ulyanovsk Day, or Lime Blossom. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Saturday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on July 4th?

Julian of Tarsus lived at the end of the III – beginning of the IV century in Cilicia, the Asia Minor region of the Roman Empire. His father was a notable pagan, and his mother professed Christianity. After her husband's death, she moved with her son to the city of Tarsus, baptized him and raised him in the faith.

When Julian turned 18, the Roman Emperor Diocletian unleashed a brutal persecution of Christians. The young man was arrested and brought to trial before governor Marcian, who demanded to renounce Christ, sacrifice to pagan gods and thereby preserve his life and freedom. The young man refused, for which he was subjected to cruel and prolonged torture.

For a whole year, Julian was taken to the cities of Cilicia, interrogated and tortured. His mother followed him, supported him with prayer and asked him not to back down. In the city of Aegea, she received permission to enter her son's prison under the pretext that she wanted to convince him to comply with the will of the authorities. The woman spent three days with the young man, strengthening him before a new meeting with the ruler.

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Marcian decided that Julian's mother had persuaded him to renounce, but the opposite happened — the woman also openly confessed herself a Christian. For this, she was tortured, after which she died of her wounds. Julian also refused to offer a pagan sacrifice and was thrown into the sea in a bag of sand and snakes.

Some time later, the body of the martyr washed ashore near Alexandria, where he was honorably buried by a pious Christian woman. Later, the relics of Julian of Tarsus were transferred to Antioch, and St. John Chrysostom honored his memory with a word of praise.

Traditions of the national holiday Ulyanovsk day on July 4th

In Russia, the name of St. Julian was transformed into a more familiar form — Ulyan, so the day of his memory was popularly called Ulyanovsk Day. The holiday was associated with a love theme. There was a legend among the people about two lovers, Ulyana and Ulyana, who could not possibly meet. He waited for her in the field, she went to the water, then they changed places and again could not find each other.

Therefore, on July 4, couples tried not to quarrel and not to separate unnecessarily, so as not to repeat the unfortunate story. But weddings or engagements at that time were considered a happy sign and, according to beliefs, promised the newlyweds harmony and a happy life.

By the beginning of July, linden trees were blooming in many regions, and the air near houses, gardens, and roads was thick with their sweet fragrance, hence the holiday's other name, Linden Blossom.

The peasants harvested the lime blossom carefully, without breaking branches, then dried it in attics or in well-ventilated places. In winter, it was brewed for colds, coughs, headaches, and added to decoctions and home remedies for skin and hair care.

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This tree was respected in the villages not only as a medicinal plant. Protective power was attributed to him. The ancestors believed that it protects the house from the evil eye, bad words and troubles. If a strong lime tree grew next to the hut, it was perceived as a good sign for the family.

Water on Ulyanovsk Day was considered special, so the ancestors went to the river, lake or pond in the morning, dived three times with their heads to "wash away" illnesses, worries and bad thoughts. After bathing, they crossed themselves, said words of gratitude, and returned home to their daily chores.

What not to do on the Ulyanovsk Day holiday

In Russia, there were several prohibitions associated with Ulyanovsk Day, the main of which concerned lime trees. On a holiday, a tree could not be chopped down, firewood harvested from it, branches broken, bark stripped, or unnecessarily disturbed. The ancestors believed that such mistreatment could lead to losses, illnesses and discord in the home.

July 4 was also associated with mercy. They tried to give food or money to those in need, to help with deeds. However, there was a special superstition regarding alms. During the begging process, one should not look the petitioner directly in the eyes, so as not to end up in distress himself.

What else you can't do on July 4th:

• Conducting love spells is an attempt to forcibly bind another person to yourself, which is considered a grave sin and a source of trouble.;
• quarreling with a loved one — a conflict on this day can drag on and lead to separation;
• to leave far from loved ones without urgent need — separation will drag on longer than planned;
• Being late for a meeting, especially a love one, risks losing your luck in life for a long time.;
• mopping floors and taking out the trash — along with dirty water and litter, you can take good luck out of the house.

Folk signs for July 4th

On Ulyanovsk Day, the peasants carefully observed nature, the sky, wind, thunderstorms and plants in order to determine by signs what the weather would be like in the coming days, whether bad weather would interfere with summer work.

• the leaves of the fern curl downwards — for dry and warm weather;
• the fern spreads its leaves — to dampness and soon bad weather;
• the thunder rumbles for a long time and is muffled — the bad weather will drag on;
• severe thunderstorm on July 4 leads to a series of rainy days;
• The wind follows the sun until noon, and in the afternoon it changes direction — the weather will improve.;
• After the rain, the sun is shining brightly and hot, and precipitation may return by nightfall.;
• lime blossom lasts a long time and smells richly — summer will be warm and clear.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs and strict prohibitions of a special holiday, Yarilina Day or the Crown of Summer.