27 April 2026: what religious holiday is it and why is the day considered dangerous?

On 27 April, according to the new church calendar, Orthodox believers commemorate Saint Stephen, the abbot of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. This date is associated with church traditions, folk customs and specific prohibitions that people have sought to observe from generation to generation.

Following the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s transition to the New Julian calendar in 2023, all holidays with fixed dates have been moved forward by 13 days. At the same time, some parishes and monasteries still follow the Julian calendar, as each religious community has the right to decide independently which calendar to follow.

According to the new calendar, on 27 April the Church commemorates Saint Stephen – abbot of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and Bishop of Volodymyr-Volynskyi. According to the old calendar, his memory is honoured on 10 May.

Stephen lived in the 11th century. He took monastic vows at the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and was a disciple of the Venerable Theodosius of the Caves.

Before his death, Theodosius recommended Stephen to the brethren as the future abbot.

In 1078, Stephen left the Lavra and founded a new monastery in honour of the Most Holy Mother of God – the Klov Monastery. In the 13th century, this monastery was destroyed by the armies of Khan Batu.

In 1091, Stephen was consecrated as Bishop of Volodymyr-Volynskyi. There, he actively promoted Christianity among the local inhabitants.

Stephen also took part in the transfer of the relics of the Venerable Theodosius of the Caves from the caves to the monastery.

According to the new church calendar, 27 April also commemorates the Apostle of the Seventy and the Holy Martyr Simeon, a relative of the Lord, as well as the Righteous Eulogius the Hospitable.

According to the Julian calendar, on this day we honour the memory of Saint Martin, the confessor and Pope of Rome.

On the church feast day of 27 April, people pray to the saints for the health of their loved ones, for help in difficult situations, and for the right decision.

In folk tradition, this feast was known as Semen, Semen’s Day, or Semen the Early Sower. In ancient times, ploughing had already begun in many regions by this time.

People tried to sow grain only in warmed-up soil and in warm weather. They checked this simply: they placed their palms on the ground and determined whether it was warm enough.

Another sign that field work was about to begin was the appearance of leaves on the trees. If the trees were covered in leaves, this was taken as a sign that it was time to go out into the fields.

Before ploughing began, families would gather around icons and pray for a good harvest. In churches, prayers were held in honour of Saint Simeon.

On the church holiday of 27 April, the church reminds us of the importance of peace and good deeds. On this day, quarrels, gossip, envy, greed and laziness are frowned upon.

It is also forbidden to refuse to help, to insult people or animals, or to wish ill upon anyone. According to popular belief, any unkind word or deed may come back to haunt you.

It was commonly believed that on St. Simeon’s Day it was very easy to fall out with someone. That is why the day was called ‘conflict-prone’, and people tried especially to guard themselves against arguments.

There was a special ritual to ward off quarrels. Two knots were tied on a red woolen thread, which was then carried in the right-hand pocket.

It was also advised not to talk about one’s wealth on this day, as this might attract thieves.

It was not advisable to buy shoes, as it was believed they would wear out quickly.

It was forbidden to throw away food scraps, as this was considered an omen of poverty. It was advised to give surplus food to the needy or the homeless.

On 27 April, people used omens to predict the weather and the coming harvest.

If the sun was clear at dawn, the summer would be windy.

If there was no dew on the grass in the morning, rain was expected by evening.

Rain on this day foretold a bountiful harvest of grain.

If fog fell in the evening, a warming was expected.

Fast-moving clouds were considered a sign of prolonged bad weather.

It was also said that basking in the sun on St. Simeon’s Day could improve one’s health and ward off illness.

As reported by ThePublic, bad weather and frost: the State Emergency Service issues an orange alert.

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