24 March: What church holiday is it, and what should not be done before the Annunciation?
On 24 March (New Style), Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint Zacharias of the Caves, a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra who lived in the 12th–14th centuries. According to church tradition, he lived in the Far Caves, was known for his strict fasting and often ate only after sunset, limiting himself to herbs.
Saint Zacharias is associated with the gift of prayer. According to tradition, he could cast out demons, heal the human soul and see angels. His holy relics rest in the Far Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra.
On this same day, according to the new calendar of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the pre-feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos begins. Before major feasts, the Church establishes a pre-feast period, which can last from one to five days. During this time, festive prayers and hymns are already being sung in churches. The Annunciation itself signifies the good and joyful news of the liberation of the human race from sin and eternal death.
In addition to the Venerable Zacharias, 24 March according to the new calendar also honours the Venerable Zacharias, the monk; Saint Artemius, Bishop of Thessaloniki; and the Venerable James, Bishop of Catania.
According to the old Julian calendar, Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, is commemorated on this day.
On the eve of the Annunciation, believers traditionally go to church to pray to the Virgin Mary, asking for her intercession and forgiveness. If it is not possible to visit the church, it is permitted to say a prayer at home. In ancient times, seeds for sowing were also blessed in churches on this day.
There was another custom in folk tradition: before going to church, the whole family would walk around the house three times in prayer. It was believed that this would protect the home from all evil.
Since any work was considered a sin on the very day of the Annunciation, people tried to finish all urgent matters by 24 March. Housewives carried out a thorough clean-up, and old and unwanted items were traditionally burned.
Among the people, this day was known as ‘Artemon-dery-poloz’. This name was associated with the spring thaw, which melted the snow and ruined the runners of the sledge. It was believed that anyone who had not yet switched to a cart risked being left without transport.
On this day, the Church urges people to refrain from foul language, lies, judgement, envy and laziness. One should not refuse to help those in need. Lent is underway, so believers who are fasting do not eat meat dishes. At the same time, it is emphasised that dietary restrictions are merely the outward aspect of fasting; the main thing is to watch one’s thoughts, words and deeds.
According to folk beliefs, all tasks involving cleaning and hard labour should ideally be completed before lunch. In the afternoon, it was advised not to do laundry, clean or sew, as this was said to lead to illness. It was also advised not to do needlework, so as not to injure oneself, to avoid quarrelling with relatives, raising one’s voice at children or holding noisy gatherings, so as not to invite sadness, family problems and the loss of happiness in the home.
On this day in particular, it was advised not to count money or deal with financial matters, as this was considered an omen of poverty.
On 24 March, our ancestors paid particular attention to nature. It was believed that a warm night promised the early arrival of spring. If a lark sings, warmth will soon follow. Dew foretells a good millet harvest, whilst snow foretells a good buckwheat harvest. Rain on Artemon’s Day was traditionally associated with good fodder for livestock.
There was also a belief that a warm day on 24 March promised fine spring weather and an early arrival of summer.
