9 May 2025: Who to pray to on St Nicholas of Spring Day

On 9 May, the Church commemorates one of the significant events associated with Saint Nicholas – the transfer of his relics from Myra in Lycia to the Italian city of Bari.

This took place in 1087. The saint’s relics were transferred from the Turkish city of Myra in Lycia to save them from the invading Turks. Today, they are housed in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is particularly revered by Christians, and in Ukraine he is considered a national saint. It is to him that believers pray on this day – in church or at home.

9 May is also a day of remembrance for the martyr Christopher of Lycia. There are two legends about him. According to one, he lived in the third century and was a warrior of immense strength. When they tried to force him to renounce his faith in Christ, his courage in the face of torture convinced the pagans to accept Christianity. Even the soldiers who were taking him to be tortured embraced the faith.

According to another version, Christopher received his name after carrying the infant Jesus across a river. A monastery on the island of Aegina is named in honour of the martyr.

On this day, the Venerable Shio of Mghvime is also commemorated. He was born in Antioch of Syria, chose the monastic life and persuaded his parents to serve the Lord. Together with John of Zedazni, he set off for Georgia to preach Christianity.

Later, Shio sought solitude and went to live in the deserted forests, settling in a cave. Gradually, followers began to gather around him. When their number exceeded 20, they founded a monastery. Shio left written instructions for the monks and withdrew into solitude once more. After his death, he was buried in the monastery he had founded.

Another saint of the day is the Venerable Joseph of Optina.

He was born in the 19th century in the Luhansk region. Having been orphaned, he became a monk at the Holy Vvedensky Monastery in the Optina Desert.

Before taking his monastic vows, he was called Ivan, and he received the name Joseph only after entering the monastic life. Later, he was ordained a hieromonk. Following the death of his spiritual father, he became the head of the monastery. In 2000, Joseph of Optina was canonised. He is one of the 14 Venerable Elders of Optina.

Folk traditions on 9 May

Among the people, 9 May was known as Spring Nicholas. It is also sometimes called Summer Nicholas or Warm Nicholas, as there is also a feast of Winter Nicholas, celebrated on 6 December.

People used to say: “There are two St. Nicholases every year: on the first St. Nicholas’ Day, it is never cold, and on the second St. Nicholas’ Day, it is never warm.”

After Spring Nicholas, people began shearing the sheep. There is a saying associated with this: “Don’t sow buckwheat or shear the sheep before Nicholas Day.”

Vasyl Skuratovsky, in his book *Misyatselik*, cited sayings associated with St Nicholas’ Day, linked to the anticipation of the new harvest and cold weather:

– there will never be summer before St Nicholas;
– keep your hay until St Nicholas, and you’ll never fear winter;
– if you don’t see ears of grain before St Nicholas, there will be weeping and wailing;
– don’t boast of your sowing on St George’s Day, but boast of your grass on St Nicholas’ Day;
– after St Nicholas, never let horses onto the hayfields.

There are also folk omens associated with the holiday. It is believed that St Nicholas’s Day is a good time to plant potatoes. However, if you plant melons – courgettes or watermelons – after this day, there may be no harvest. People also believed that one must not bathe in rivers or ponds until Spring St Nicholas’s Day.

The Hutsuls celebrated Warm St Nicholas’ Day with particular pomp. They organised a ‘mountain pasture procession’, during which the animals were driven up to the mountain pastures.

At the head of the procession walked the eldest of the shepherds, followed by two shepherds with trembitas, and then the herd of livestock. Bringing up the rear were other villagers who had joined the festivities. Far from the village, on the mountain pastures, they lit bonfires and performed the ritual milking of the sheep.

What not to do on 9 May

In 2025, Spring St Nicholas’ Day falls on a Friday. According to Christian tradition, Friday is a day of fasting, so believers are advised to abstain from animal products.

On this holiday, one should not quarrel, argue, swear, lie or gossip. The day is considered a festive one, so it is recommended to spend it with family.

Name Day on 9 May

According to the current church calendar, 9 May is the name day for Mykolay and Yosyp in Ukraine.

The name Joseph has ancient Hebrew origins and means ‘he will multiply’.

The name Nicholas comes from the ancient Greek language and translates as ‘conqueror of nations’.

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