On February 23, Orthodox Christians commemorate the holy martyr Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and celebrate Meat-Free Week. This day is important in the church calendar and also has a number of folk signs and traditions.
Today, the Orthodox commemorate Saint Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, who lived in the 1st-2nd centuries. Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian, became a theologian and bishop. His life was an example of service to God, and even at the age of 86, during the persecution of Christians, he refused to renounce his faith and was burned alive.
February 23 is also the week of Lent, the penultimate week before Lent. This week gets its name because on this day the consumption of meat is stopped. The Gospel about the Last Judgment and the Second Coming of Christ is read in the liturgy. This is a time for reflection on spiritual values and repentance.
According to the old style, today the memory of the Venerable Prokhor, the miracle worker of Kyiv-Pechersk, and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Fire-like” is honored. This holiday has a special meaning for adherents of the old style, who continue to celebrate church events according to the Julian calendar.
In the folk calendar, this day was called “Sour Maidens.” According to signs, if a girl has not managed to get engaged by this day, she may remain unmarried until summer, “turn sour.” Many signs are also associated with birds:
- If you hear the knock of a woodpecker, spring will be late;
- If the sparrows have begun to build nests, there will be no more cold;
- If pigeons coo, it is to clear weather;
- If a magpie has hidden under the roof, expect a blizzard;
- If fog falls on this day, the summer will be damp and rainy.
The church recommends that on this day one refrain from slander, gossip, and also not to refuse help. It is believed that one should also not spend this day in a purely female company, otherwise the girl will be left without male attention. It is also worth avoiding sweeping away cobwebs and killing spiders, as this can bring misfortune.
On this day, you can turn to Saint Polycarp for help in raising children and for healing from illnesses. Traditionally, unmarried girls are advised to bake a cake and treat their unmarried friends to it to attract good luck in marriage.
Who celebrates Angel Day on February 23?
According to the church calendar, today the names of Clement, Ivan, Sergey, Kuzma, Alexey, Mikhail, Moses, Nikolay, Alexander are celebrated. According to the old style - Anna, Antony, Arkady, Valentina, Vasyl, Galina, Gennady, Grigory, Ivan, Luka, Mark, Peter, Prokhor.
