Folk signs for December 16: what can and cannot be done
In Russia, signs and beliefs were given special importance. They were used to determine when to sow and harvest, when to prepare for winter, get married and go on a trip. Every day of the national calendar was full of rituals and superstitions. Izvestia tells about the signs for December 16 and the church holidays that fall on this date.
Folk signs for December 16, 2025
In Russia, on December 16, Ivan the Silent Day was celebrated. On the holiday, the ancestors tried to remain silent. They believed that the one who refrains from empty conversations will be eloquent for the whole next year, and will also avoid diseases and troubles. Even in front of the icons, they prayed "to themselves" without saying the words out loud. Also, on December 16, the ancestral residents went to bed early — it was believed that after sunset, evil spirits roamed the streets in the form of a black cow and meeting her promised people troubles and troubles.
People paid attention to various weather signs for Ivan the Silent, trying to predict what the weather would be like in the coming days. If bullfinches chirped loudly near the house, they understood that a thaw was coming soon.
Other signs of the day
- the firewood in the stove cracks violently — to severe frosts;
- sunny weather — for a good harvest;
- It's snowing, leading to a blizzard;
- A cat runs around the house — in bad weather;
- little snow fell, resulting in a poor harvest;
- there is less water in the wells — to improve the weather.
What not to do on December 16
On the day of Ivan the Silent, the ancestors observed a number of strict prohibitions. The main limitation of the holiday concerned conversations — people tried not to say or write anything unless absolutely necessary. Even work and meals on December 16 were separate, so that there was no desire to start a conversation.
What else can not be done on December 16
- Shouting and swearing is a health problem;
- Making promises means that you will not be able to fulfill them in the future.;
- getting to know new people — there is a risk of encountering spoilage or ill-wishers;
- Sharing your successes can be a cause for envy and gossip.;
- to participate in noisy feasts leads to failures.
What is the church holiday on December 16?
On December 16, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. John the Silent, who lived in Armenia in the 5th century. Since his youth, striving for solitude and an ascetic life, after the death of his parents, he distributed his inheritance and devoted himself to the service of God. For a long time John lived at the temple, observing strict fasting, prayer and abstinence. The monk's piety and prayerful zeal attracted the attention of Metropolitan Sebastian, and he ordained him bishop of the Colonial Church.
However, the high rank and interference of the authorities in church affairs weighed on the saint. In search of silence, John secretly left the pulpit and went to Jerusalem, where he entered the monastery of St. Sava the Consecrated as a simple novice. There he took a vow of silence, for which he received his nickname. Desiring even more solitude, the saint spent nine years in the desert, where, according to legend, he was protected from the Saracens by a lion sent by God. Later, John returned to the monastery of St. Sava, where he spent 66 years.
Also on December 16, believers remember St. Sava Storozhevsky, one of the first and beloved disciples of St. Sergius of Radonezh. In his youth, the saint devoted himself to monastic service. He avoided idle talk, worked hard, wore coarse clothes, and ate only plant foods. Seeing his piety, Sergius of Radonezh appointed Savva the confessor of the brethren. Subsequently, with the blessing of his teacher, the monk became abbot of the monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
At the end of the 14th century, Prince Yuri Dimitrievich Zvenigorodsky asked Savva to create a new monastery near Zvenigorod. The saint listened to this request and in 1399 founded a monastery on Storozhevskaya Hill. The monk personally participated in many works on the monastery's construction, despite his advanced age. For his righteous life, he was rewarded with the gift of clairvoyance and miracle-working. The holy elder died in 1406, and his incorruptible relics were found in 1652. He is revered as the patron saint of Zvenigorod.
Prayer for December 16
Orthodox believers pray to St. John the Silent and Savva Storozhevsky on December 16. They are asked for healing from diseases, strengthening in faith and guiding the lost on the right path.
Prayer to St. John the Silent
"O holy head, Venerable Father, Most Blessed Abba John, do not forget your poor to the end, but always remember us in holy and auspicious prayers to God: remember your flock, which you have saved yourself, and do not forget to visit your children. Pray for us, holy Father, for your spiritual children, for you have Boldness to the Heavenly King: do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise us who honor you with faith and love: remember us unworthy at the Throne of the Almighty, and do not stop praying for us to Christ God, for you have been given the grace to pray for us. We don't think you're dead.: For though you have passed away from us in body, but you remain alive after death, do not depart from us in spirit, preserving us from the arrows of the enemy and all the charms of demons and the machinations of the devil, our good shepherd. For even though your relics of cancer are always visible before our eyes, your holy soul, with angelic hosts, fleshless faces, and heavenly powers, stands at the throne of the Almighty, rejoicing worthily, leading you in truth and being alive after death, we fall down and pray to you: pray for us to Almighty God, for For the benefit of our souls, and grant us time for repentance, so that we may safely pass from earth to heaven, and may we be delivered from bitter ordeals, demons of the air, and eternal torment, and may we be heiresses of the heavenly Kingdom with all the righteous who have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ from the beginning.: To Him belongs all glory, honor, and worship, together with His Beginningless Father, and with His All-holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen to that."
Prayer to St. Savva Storozhevsky
"Oh, most honorable and sacred chapter! O citizen of heavenly Jerusalem, the abode of the Most Holy Trinity, Venerable Father Savva! Having great boldness towards the All-merciful Lord, pray for the flock of your fence and for all your children according to the spirit. Do not be silent for us to the Lord, and do not despise those who honor you with faith and love. Through your intercession, ask the King of Kings for the peace of the Church, under the sign of the militant cross, the grace of His eminence, the good of the monks in their asceticism; protection of this holy monastery, this city and all cities and countries; serenity and peace to the world, gladness and perdition; consolation and reinforcement to the old and infirm, good for the young and infants in faith growth, firm teaching in the Gospel teaching, and abiding in purity and chastity; mercy and intercession for widows and orphans, joy and return for the captive, healing for the sick, reassurance for the faint-hearted, correction for those who err, a spirit of contrition for those who sin, timely help for those in need. Do not put us to shame, who flow to you with faith; help us, as a child-loving father to children, and to bear the yoke of Christ with benevolence and patience, and govern all in peace and repentance, to end our lives without shame and to be settled with hope in the heavenly abode. Because of your labors and struggles, you are now living with the Angels and Saints, glorifying God in vain, glorified in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen to that."
Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs of the national holiday Avvakum Day.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
