A special national holiday on July 16 is Poppy Day: history, traditions, omens

Every year on July 16, Orthodox believers honor the memory of the martyrs Moki and Mark, who suffered for their faith during the persecution of Christians in the late Roman Empire. In the national calendar, the date is known as Poppy Day, or Stozhary. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Thursday. Read about its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on July 16?

There is little information about the martyrs. It is known that Mokios (in some sources — Mokian) and Mark lived in the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and his co-ruler Maximian, who unleashed severe persecution of Christians. Followers of Jesus were forced to participate in pagan rituals, and resistance meant certain death.

Moki and Mark were Christians. When they were captured and ordered to sacrifice to idols, the saints refused and openly confessed their faith. For their disobedience, they were tortured and then sentenced to death.

The life says that when the martyrs were led to the place of execution, they thanked God for the opportunity to suffer for their faith.

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Traditions of the national holiday of Poppies day on July 16

In Russia, the memorial day of Moki and Mark was popularly called "Poppy Day." Presumably, it arose because of the consonance of the names of the saints with the poppy, which by that time was beginning to be harvested in the villages. The ancestors valued this plant as a food, medicinal and coastal crop.

Another name for the date is "Stozhary". This was the popular name for the bright star cluster of the Pleiades in the constellation of Taurus. In addition, stacks were called poles, which were placed in the middle of the stack when drying hay. Therefore, the name was associated with both the sky and summer household chores.

Believers began the morning of Poppy Day with a visit to the temple. It was customary to take a handful of poppy seeds to the church, which were later used as a home charm. It was believed that the poppy, especially sanctified by prayer, protects against the evil eye, envy and unkind words. Such seeds were kept in the house, given to loved ones, put in small bags, poured into the shoes of young people preparing for marriage.

In popular beliefs, the poppy was associated with sleep, silence and protection. The peasants believed that poppy seeds could "lull" evil spirits and lead evil spirits astray. Therefore, the seeds were scattered at the entrance to the house and in the yard, poppies were planted near the dwelling and barn, and added to amulets for children and adults.

Housewives put poppies in pastries, and also used them in home infusions, used as a sedative or sleeping pill. The ancestors had a special attitude towards the grains harvested on July 16: they tried not to eat them, but to preserve them for medicinal and protective purposes.

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What not to do on the Poppy Day holiday

There were many prohibitions associated with Poppy Day in Russia, the main one of which concerned new beginnings. They tried to avoid them, as the ancestors considered July 16 to be an alarming date. According to legend, any important event or decision could crumble as easily as poppy seeds from an open box.

What else can not be done on July 16:

• moving or going on the road unnecessarily can lead to injuries and troubles.;
• to make large purchases — the thing will quickly deteriorate or turn out to be useless;
• lending money means there is a risk that the debtor will not be able to repay it and the case will end in a feud.;
• to refuse to help travelers and those in need — avarice will turn into losses in the future.;
• talking and gossiping a lot — talkers may get a "tip on the tongue";
• quarreling with relatives — the conflict will drag on for a long time;
• make dates, woo, play weddings — feelings will quickly cool down;
• engage in planting and transplanting plants — flowers and greenery will not take root well and eventually wither;
• to arrange noisy feasts — such fun contradicts the essence of the holiday and can deprive a person of the patronage of saints.

Folk signs for July 16

On Poppy Day, the peasants closely monitored nature, especially the sky, insects and pets, in order to determine by signs what the next week would be like, whether to expect hot, clear weather or rain.

• mosquitoes and midges are swarming in flocks — a week of warm weather ahead;
• the water in the wells is decreasing — intense heat will set in soon;
• The spider has come out of hiding and is weaving a new net — for clear days.;
• Butterflies are hiding — to the rain;
• Lots of snails in the trees — for heavy rain;
• the horses snort and neigh loudly, leading to intense heat and rain;
• Horses snore and worry about bad weather;
• Dogs are lying in the dust — the weather is going to turn bad soon;
• clouds are moving fast across the sky — a strong wind will rise;
• Cumulus clouds appeared in the evening, leading to bad weather.

In addition to the weather, the ancestors also had household signs associated with the holiday. So, dreams on the night of July 16 were considered prophetic. To see and remember such a vision, several poppy seeds were placed under the pillow.

And the hunters looked at the sky on a festive night. If the Stacks were clearly visible, the day promised rich loot. If the star cluster was hidden in a haze or behind clouds, they did not count on success and did not go into the forest. The clear silhouette of the Big Dipper was considered a particularly lucky omen.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions and strict prohibitions of the special church holiday Cathedral of the 12th Apostles.