Introduction to the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2025: dangerous folk signs on December 4

Every year on December 4, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple, one of the most important holidays dedicated to the event when the righteous Joachim and Anna brought little Mary to the Jerusalem temple. This day symbolizes purity, humility and the beginning of the spiritual path. There are many church traditions, folk customs and prohibitions associated with it. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

The Feast of the Entry into the Temple: when and why they celebrate

Every year, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple, commemorating the event when the righteous Joachim and Anna brought three—year-old Mary to the Jerusalem temple to dedicate her to the service of God.

The celebration falls on December 4 in the new style (November 21 in the old style) and is one of the twelve feasts of the church calendar.

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What not to do on this day: prohibitions and omens

The introduction is traditionally regarded as a day of peace, silence and inner concentration, so church and folk traditions advise limiting work and noisy household chores.

It is not recommended to lend money on this day, so as not to say goodbye to wealth. Quarrels, gossip, and feasts are also undesirable. In the ecclesiastical sense, believers are advised to avoid passions and scandals on this day by devoting time to prayer and worship.

The main folk signs for the Introduction

Folk signs associated with December 4 are rooted in agricultural observations and calendar cycles. Early snow and frosts in the North were considered a harbinger of "real winter" and promised a good harvest next year. Warm or cloudy weather leads to crop failures and a bad winter.

The absence of snow on this day was interpreted as a warning of a warm, snowless winter. In the family way, the day was considered favorable for solitary prayer and reading spiritual literature.

There were also household "signs": if unnatural sounds were heard in the houses or dogs were barking at something, this was interpreted as a bad sign. It should be understood that these ideas are an element of folklore formed in the conditions of an agrarian lifestyle and associated with an attempt to predict the future based on weather and household indicators.

On the day of the Introduction, it is recommended to participate in divine services, confession and communion, reading the akathist or prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos, and visiting the temple with gratitude and supplication. In addition, the traditions of virtue—helping the poor, feeding the poor, and caring for others-were considered effective means of attracting blessings.

In some parishes, it is customary to bring children to the first confession or to communion — this is due to the idea of dedicating life to God and upbringing in the faith. In the church greetings and sermons of the holiday, the patriarchs and pastors remind of the importance of spiritual life as a guarantee of well-being.