A special national holiday on December 28 is Trifonov Day: history, traditions, omens

Every year on December 28, Orthodox believers remember St. Trifon of Pechenga, an ascetic of the XVI century, an educator of the harsh Kola North and the founder of the Pechenga Monastery. In the national calendar, the holiday is known as Trifonov Day. In 2025, it falls on a Sunday. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

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St. Trifon of Pechenga, or Kola, was born in the 16th century in the Novgorod province in the family of a priest. In the world, he was called Mitrofan. Pious parents raised their son from childhood in the fear of God, accustomed him to prayer and church life. Already at a young age, after listening to the stories of fishermen about the wild northern land and pagan lapps, he decided to devote himself to the apostolic feat and go to those who had never heard of Christ.

According to legend, the decisive episode for him was an episode during prayer in the forest. Mitrofan heard a voice: "An uninhabited and thirsty land awaits you." He took this call as a direct instruction from above. After leaving his parents' house, he went to the Kola Peninsula and stopped on the banks of the Pechenga River, where lapps lived. To gain the trust of the locals, the young man lived the same poor, difficult life as them.

Only when he had settled into his new place did Trifon begin to speak cautiously about the faith of Christ. At first, he purposefully studied the language and customs of the aborigines, got acquainted with their pagan beliefs, and only after that began to openly preach. The Lapps met his words warily, often with distrust and rejection.

The saint had to endure many trials, from ridicule and banishment to beatings. But a gentle, wise word, meekness, willingness to help with deeds and share the hardships of northern life gradually changed people's attitudes, and more and more locals were baptized and became Christians.

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When the community of converts became stronger, Trifon turned to Archbishop Makariy of Novgorod for his blessing on the construction of the temple. In 1532, the Trinity Pechenga Monastery, a spiritual fortress of Orthodoxy in the far north—west of Russia, was founded "by the cold sea, near the Murmansk border."

The Lapps educator lived in Pechenga for almost six decades. He combined prayer work with practical care for the monks and locals, reconciled the warring parties, instructed, and supported those who were just taking the first steps in the faith.

The Monk Tryphon died in a very old age, in 1583, at the age of about 88 years. But the history of the monastery has received a dramatic continuation. In 1589, the Pechenga Monastery was ravaged by the Swedes, and many monks died.

Later, by order of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, the monastery was moved closer to the Stake, to a more protected place. A church in the name of St. Tryphon was erected on the site of the destroyed monastery, and over his grave — the temple of the Presentation of the Lord. Over time, the image of Trifon of Pechenga became firmly entrenched in the national consciousness as an image of a prayer book and defender of seafarers. According to beliefs, the saint more than once came to the aid of ships and people in trouble in stormy seas, if they faithfully invoked his name.

Traditions of the national holiday Trifonov day on December 28

In the folk tradition, Trifonov Day is the milestone after which light begins to gradually "win back" space from darkness. The ancestors believed that on a holiday the Sun sends people the first "active" rays that drive away evil spirits. But they are still weak and need support.

Therefore, at dawn, the housewives took the coals out of the stove into the yard, poured them out onto the snow and said: "Get off the porch, golden coal, roll around the yard." According to popular belief, this helped to "spur" the sun, accelerate its path to spring and at the same time scare away evil spirits.

In the morning, the faithful went to church to pray to St. Tryphon for well-being and health. The saint was revered as the patron saint of fishermen and sailors. Before a long voyage or going to sea, they always lit a candle and asked for a safe return.

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Alms were also given to those in need on this day. The ancestors believed that if you help not only with money, but also with warm clothes, food, and a kind word, then the whole next year will be successful.

Trifonov Day was considered a good time for serious beginnings — studying, mastering a new craft, starting work on an important task.

We tried to spend the holiday at home, in a family circle. In the evening, they put a samovar in the huts, gathered at a common table, summed up the results of the outgoing year, and discussed plans for the future in detail. According to beliefs, good decisions made on Trifon have every chance of coming true.

What not to do on the holiday of Trifonov day on December 28th

On December 28, a number of strict prohibitions were in effect in Russia, the violation of which, according to beliefs, promised illness and loss. The ancestors believed in the "power of the word" on Tryphon Day, that any careless phrase could "ruin" the year. Therefore, they were careful not to use foul language, arrange family quarrels, so as not to "attract" a serious illness and a protracted conflict that would last "from Trifon to Trifon."

What else is forbidden to do on December 28th:

• Blaming the weather means that people who are unhappy with the cold will be plagued by illnesses all year round;
• going to the forest, hunting and fishing — evil spirits can cause a blizzard, hide trails, confuse tracks or lead to thin ice, there is a risk of getting lost, not finding the way home or drowning;
• elderly people should use a towel for young people: elders can "take away" health and beauty from young people;
• making fun of people and gloating — the ridicule will be followed by your own tears.;
• childless spouses should give toys to other people's children — their own heirs will not appear for a long time.

Folk signs for December 28

On Trifon, the peasants carefully observed nature, trying to judge health, luck, and, most importantly, what March and the end of winter would be like by the weather and small signs.:

• thaw and slush — we need to prepare for a wet March;
• fogged—up windows - for a rapid warming;
• bright sun and crisp frost — for a "proper" winter, cold and dry, with stable snow cover;
• wind from the west — possible warming and a change in the weather front.

In the popular consciousness, a quiet, windless day on December 28 symbolized peace in the house. "As quiet as it is in the yard, it will be so quiet in the family," the ancestors said.

Earlier, Izvestia told why on Filimonov Day on December 27 in Russia they were afraid to leave children alone.