A special holiday on November 7 is Grandfathers' lamentations: history, traditions, omens

Every year on November 7, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy martyrs Marcian and Martyrius, who lived in the fourth century. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Friday. In the national calendar, this day is called Grandfather's Lament. Read about its history, traditions and signs in the Izvestia article.

What is the church holiday on November 7th?

The Holy Martyrs Marcian and Martyrius lived in the fourth century. They served in the Constantinople Cathedral under Patriarch Paul the Confessor. Marcian was a reader, and Martyrius was a subdeacon. Both saints also served as the patriarch's secretaries.

At that time, the Arian heresy was widespread, whose followers believed that the Son of God was a creation of God the Father, not equal or consubstantial with him. The heretics managed to slander and expel Patriarch Paul, and the apostate Macedonius took over his see. The new leadership tried to win Marcian and Martyrius over to their side with flattery, offering gold and episcopal chairs. However, all Arians' attempts were unsuccessful.

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When persuasion failed, the wicked turned to threats — they intimidated the saints with violence and death. Despite this, Marcian and Martyrius remained firm in their profession of the Orthodox faith. The martyrs were sentenced to death and beheaded by the sword around 355.

Orthodox Christians reverently buried the bodies of the saints. Later, on the instructions of St. John Chrysostom, the relics of the martyrs were transferred to a specially built church. According to church tradition, believers received healing from many ailments at this shrine through prayers to the saints.

Traditions of the national holiday Grandfathers' lamentations on November 7

In the folk tradition, November 7 was called Grandfathers' Lament. Usually, precipitation in the form of rain or snow was observed on this day, which was perceived as the cry of nature. Together with nature, people mourned their dead relatives and loved ones.

Women and girls started crying in the morning. According to established custom, one should first recall all the hardships of life, and then proceed to lamentations for the dead. This ritual helped to get rid of accumulated longing and sadness.

An important tradition of the holiday was to put the burial places of relatives in order. After cleaning, church candles were lit, prayers for the repose of souls and akathists were read. Funeral food was brought to the graves — eggs or braga, so that the ancestors would contribute to family well-being. At the same time, it was strictly forbidden for the living to eat or drink alcohol in the cemetery.

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In some regions, it was customary to carry icons to the river or to the field to ask the deceased for a bountiful harvest. According to popular beliefs, after the 40th day after death, the deceased could influence the lives of their relatives and the entire village. Orphans, beggars and the sick were also cared for on this day.

What not to do on November 7 on the national holiday Grandfathers' lament

In Russia, Grandfather's cries were considered a day of mourning, requiring observance of traditions that had been formed over the centuries. There was a belief that grain merchants should not move from place to place on November 7. It was believed that after that they would lose their luck and would not be able to sell the leftover bread.

What else can not be done on November 7:

• swearing and swearing can lead to serious illness.;
• Remembering the deceased with unkind words is customary to speak well of the dead or to remain silent.;
• Having noisy parties can offend deceased relatives.;
• Discussing financial losses leads to increased expenses;
• Cheating — your whole life will go downhill;
• crying into a pillow leads to heavy dreams and restless sleep;
• getting married, getting married, making an offer — such a union will not be happy.

Folk signs for November 7th

On November 7, the ancestors paid attention to various weather signs in order to understand what the weather would be like in the near future. If the aspen leaves fell mostly "face up" on a holiday, they understood that the winter would be frosty. If they lay down upside down, they were preparing for the warm winter season. There were other signs, too:

• The stars are shining dimly due to bad weather;
• dry weather — the winter will be frosty, with many snowstorms;
• morning fog leads to heavy rains;
• the appearance of the sun — spring will be early;
• cloudy sky — for a snowy winter;
• The nightingale's singing at the window is a disaster;
• the cat covers her nose — the weather will soon turn bad.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the traditions and signs of Yakov Day.