When is St. Vasyl's Day celebrated according to the new calendar? Discover the significance and traditions of this festive occasion.

Since 2023, Ukraine has adopted the new Julian church calendar, which shifts the dates of church holidays by 13 days. The article discusses when to celebrate the feast of Saint Basil the Great and the origins of this holiday, as reported by Liga.net.

When is the Day of Saint Basil the Great Celebrated

The Day of Saint Basil the Great falls on January 1, 2025. However, previously, according to the Julian calendar, this holiday was celebrated on January 14. In September 2023, Ukraine adopted the new Julian church calendar, under which many church holidays are observed 13 days earlier.

Who is Basil the Great: The Saint's History

Basil the Great is one of the most prominent church figures of the 4th century, serving as the Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. He is recognized as one of the Fathers of the Christian Church and, along with John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian, forms the group known as the Three Holy Hierarchs.

Thanks to his exceptional preaching ability, Basil the Great made significant contributions to the development of Christianity. He is called "the Great" due to his unparalleled ministry and activities. He was the first to create an iconostasis and left behind numerous theological writings. Basil the Great elucidated the meaning of the Holy Trinity and Baptism and was the founder of monasticism, which was highly valued in the Greek church.

Among his achievements is the creation of the Divine Liturgy, known as the Liturgy of Basil the Great. It is celebrated only 10 times a year during major feasts in Byzantine rite churches.

The Feast of Basil: Folk Traditions

The Feast of Saint Basil the Great is intertwined with many folk rituals that have pre-Christian roots and is closely related to the celebration of Malanka and the Generous Evening, which is celebrated the day before, on December 31. During these festive days, Ukrainians remembered nature and the connection between the holidays and the harvest.

One of the traditions is seeding on Basil's Day. Early in the morning, boys and young men would visit homes, sowing grain and bringing wishes for a bountiful harvest to the hosts. It is important to distinguish between shchedruvannya and posivannya: on the Generous Evening, December 31, people sing and praise the hosts, while on Basil's Day, they actually sow. Various grains were used, such as rye, wheat, and oats, but it was strictly forbidden to sow buckwheat or peas, as this would bring misfortune.

Another tradition is threshing the didukh—a sheaf that was placed in homes until Christmas. This ritual has pagan roots but has always been an important element of winter celebrations. The first sower had the honor of threshing the didukh, and the seeds collected from it were kept until the spring sowing.

A separate tradition involved the polaznyk—the first visitor to the home, who was always received hospitably. His visit, even if it was an animal, was believed to bring prosperity and wealth to the hosts in the new year.