On January 4, according to the new church calendar, the Cathedral of the 70 Apostles , disciples of Jesus Christ, is celebrated, as well as the memory of Reverend Akhila, deacon of Kyiv-Pechersk. This day is full of spiritual traditions, folk signs and rituals that unite church and folk beliefs.
Church holidays according to the new and old style
New style
On this day, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Council of the 70 Apostles. In the Gospel of Luke, it is said that after the Transfiguration, Jesus called seventy more disciples to preach the Gospel. These apostles, among whom were Mark and Luke, became preachers of the faith throughout the world, for which many of them suffered persecution and martyrdom.
Also, on January 4, the memory of Saint Akhila, known for his asceticism and restraint, is commemorated.
Old style
According to the Julian calendar, the memory of the holy great martyr Anastasia is celebrated on January 4.
Folk traditions and omens
People call this day Zosima Day , in honor of Saint Zosima, the patron saint of beekeepers. Traditionally, dishes with honey or honey pastries are placed on the table so that abundance and harmony reign in the house all year.
Signs for January 4:
- What's the weather like today - that's what January will be like.
- Cloudless sunset - the next day promises to be warm and sunny.
- The singing of snowbirds - to a severe cold.
What can and cannot be done on January 4
What can't be done:
- Arguing, cursing, wishing evil — this is considered especially dangerous during the Holidays.
- "Devilish" or mentioning evil spirits - according to beliefs, this can attract negative energy.
What can be done:
- Turn to the saints with prayers for strengthening faith, protection from evil and help in difficult situations.
- Taking care of animals, especially homeless ones, brings good changes in life.
- Cleanse the house of negativity with the help of prayer or noise to scare away evil spirits.
Name day on January 4
Alexander, Arkhip, Athanasius, Luka, Mark, Mykola, Pavlo, Prokhor, Rodion, Stepan, Timofey, Philip celebrate their name days today.
According to the old style — Anastasia, Dmytro, Fedir.
