The feast of St. Andrii the First-Called is now celebrated in November: a new date

From September 1, 2023, the orthodox church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church switched to the New Julian calendar, causing a shift in the dates of all church holidays by 13 days. One of the most beloved winter holidays is the Day of St. Andrii.

On the night of St. Andrii, young girls traditionally guessed about their future husbands and sought to learn their fate. To find out more about the new date of the holiday and its main traditions, read the article on OBOZ.UA.

New Date of the Holiday

Historically, the Day of St. Andrii was celebrated on December 13, but due to the recent calendar change, it has now become an autumn holiday. With the new calendar in effect, the Day of St. Andrii is observed on November 30.

History of the holiday and traditions

On this day, the faithful commemorate one of Jesus Christ's twelve apostles, Andrii the First-Called. He spread Christianity in the region of ancient Scythia, along the Black Sea coast, and the modern-day territory of Kyiv. Andrew the Apostle met a martyr's death.

In the past, the Day of St. Andrii was associated with the feast of Kalita. Girls used to bake special cakes with the same name and performed various divination rituals. A "kalita" is a round bread resembling the sun, generously coated with honey.

Following the baptism of Kievan Rus, the "Kalita" tradition evolved into the folk practice of "fortune-telling on the Day of St. Andrii." After the Day of St. Andrii, people often arranged dates, matchmaking events, and weddings.

Previously, OBOZ.UA published the church calendar for November 2023 and explained how the holiday dates have changed.

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