Church holiday on 22 April 2026 – what is forbidden on Ash Wednesday
In 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine switched to the New Julian calendar, causing the dates of fixed feasts to shift by 13 days. At the same time, some believers continue to follow the Julian calendar – this right is retained by certain religious communities and monasteries, which independently choose the calendar for their services.
On 22 April, according to the new church calendar, Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint Luke. According to the old church calendar, this saint will be commemorated on 5 May.
Saint Luke lived in the 1st century in Antioch, Syria. He was among the 70 disciples of Christ whom Jesus sent out to preach the Gospel. Luke is known as the author of one of the four Gospels, as well as the book ‘The Acts of the Apostles’. He accompanied the Apostle Paul on his missionary journeys, and after his death continued to preach in Achaia, Libya, Egypt and Thebaid, where, according to tradition, he died a martyr. It is also believed that Saint Luke was the first iconographer, and it is to him that the creation of the first icons of the Most Holy Mother of God, as well as the Apostles Peter and Paul, is attributed.
The Week of Remembrance, dedicated to commemorating the departed, is currently underway. During this time, believers visit churches, submit memorial notes and go to cemeteries, remembering their loved ones with fond memories and prayer. The third day of Memorial Week is known as Thomas Wednesday. Memorial services are held in churches on this day, and believers light candles and submit prayer requests. If it is not possible to go to church, one can pray at home and light a candle; however, people try to attend a service at least once during the week.
According to the Julian calendar, 22 April commemorates the Holy Martyr Eupsychius, as well as the Venerable Martyr Vadim, an archimandrite, and his seven disciples.
What is permitted and what is forbidden
On this day, prayers are offered to Saint Luke, who is considered the patron saint of doctors and artists. He is asked for help with family matters, health and even financial issues. During Memorial Week, priests advise people to speak only kindly of the deceased and to help those in need. Alms, it is noted, can take various forms – money, food or goods. It is believed that such good deeds help not only others but also the person themselves to cope with difficult thoughts.
In popular tradition, this day is known as Gromnytsia, as well as Sukha, Lysa and Gromnychna Sreda. Another name is Onion Day. This is linked to the fact that onions were traditionally planted at this time. In folk culture, onions held a special place: it was believed that they helped people survive times of famine, strengthened health and were one of the most accessible foods. In some places, on Onion Day, people baked pies and pancakes with onions. There were also superstitions associated with this vegetable: if you ate at least one onion on this day, you would be healthy and happy all year round. And to get rid of troubles, people would peel an onion, eat it, and then grind the dried peel and scatter it to the wind – according to the belief, the problems would vanish along with it.
On the church holiday of 22 April, as on other days, quarrels, swearing, envy, greed, laziness and gluttony are frowned upon. It is important to remain calm, not to offend those around you and not to refuse help to those who need it. During Memorial Week, the church also disapproves of alcohol consumption and bringing it to the cemetery – this is considered a sin. It is customary to commemorate the deceased during these days not with feasts, but with prayer, kind words and acts of charity. It is also advised not to get angry, swear or raise one’s voice at children and the elderly.
In folk tradition, there are a number of strict prohibitions on Candlemas. The main one is that on this day one must not work in the garden, because, according to belief, anything planted will not take root, will die from drought or suffer from a thunderstorm. Other prohibitions include: one must not leave the house in a mess, otherwise this will lead to problems in the family; one must not quarrel, as it will be difficult to make amends after such a row; pregnant women should not sit on the threshold, which in folk belief is considered the boundary between worlds. It is advised to spend the day calmly, in order and without unnecessary fuss.
Folk weather sayings
The weather on this day is used to predict the summer and the harvest. Night-time frosts on 22 April are seen as a sign that there will be another 40 cold nights before autumn. If the cuckoo sings, there will be no more cold spells. A thunderstorm on this day foretells a bountiful harvest, morning dew signals a successful start to sowing, and a blossoming rowan tree means there will be no more severe cold spells. If the day is warm, then, according to folk wisdom, such weather will continue until the end of spring, and the year will be a good one for crops.
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