Russian 0090: Russian Fairy Tales

Russian Saints and Feasts

The following is a list of Russian saints (including popular saints) and feasts discussed in Linda J. Ivanits, Russian Folk Belief, Armonk: M. E. Sharpe, 1989. Transcription is according to the Library of Congress transliteration system, with the stressed vowel of each word indicated by bold type. Numbers in parentheses refer to pages in Ivanits’s book. Pagan gods, minor Russian spirits, and general Russian terms are listed separately. Under development; currently covers through pages 1–37, 130–53.

B | C | E | F | G | I | K | M | N | P | R | S | U | V | Z

B

batiushka pokrov

see pokrov

bogoroditsa

“Mother of God,” most common term for Mary (20–21)

Boris and Gleb

first native Russian martyr saints, sons of St. Vladimir (who Christianized Rus′ in 988), murdered by their half-brother Sviatopolk, associated with spring sowing as Boris-Gleb seiateli, May 2 (29)

C

chistyi chetverg

Holy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter), literally “Pure Thursday” (8)

E

Egorii, Egor

see Georgii

F

Flor and Laur

St. Flor and St. Laur, patrons of horses, August 18 (28)

G

Georgii

St. George, also known as Egorii or Iurii, popular warrior saint, November 26 and April 23 (26–29)

I

Il′inskaia piatnitsa

the seventh of the twelve Fridays, associated with Elijah and Paraskeva-Piatnitsa (34)

Il′ia

Elijah the Prophet, a stern figure in Russian folk belief, corresponding to pagan Perun, July 20 (29–30)

Iurii

see Georgii

K

Kas′ian nemilostivyi

Cassian the Unmerciful, a selfish and mean-spirited saint, February 29 (35–36)

Kuz′ma and Dem′ian

Cosmas and Damian, healers and smiths (associated in this latter function with pagan Svarog by Rybakov), sometimes personified as a female Matushka Kuz′madem′aina, November 1 (32–33)

Kupalo’s Day

June 24, traditional celebration of the summer solstice, Christian feast of St. John the Baptist (10)

M

Mar′ia Pustye Shchi

“Mary ‘Empty Cabbage,’” April 1, corresponding to the time when the winter cabbage store begins to run out (24)

maslenitsa

Shrovetide, the eighth week before Easter (e.g., Mardi Gras, the period just before Lent) (6); also a straw effigy representing the Shrovetide season (7)

matushka pokrov

see pokrov

matushka uspenie

see uspenie

Mikhail

Archangel Michael, associated with Perun, November 8

N

Nikolai Chudotvorets

“Nicholas the Wonderworker,” most merciful of the saints, December 6 and May 9 (24–26)

Nikolai Mokryi

“Nicholas the Wet,” refers to St. Nicholas as patron of fishermen and sailors, also Nikolai Morskoi “Nicholas of the Sea” (25)

Nikolai Morskoi

see Nikolai Mokryi

P

Paraskeva-Piatnitsa

popular “woman’s saint,” associated by Rybakov with Mokosh′ October 28 (33–35)

Paraskeva Griaznaia

“Paraskeva the Dirty,” September 14 (24)

paskha

Easter, also a pyramid-shaped cake of dry cottage cheese traditionally eaten at Easter (9)

Pëtr Polukorm

“Peter Half-Feed,” corresponding to the time when the winter rations should be at about half the original level, January 16 (24)

pokrov

“cover,” referring to Mary’s omophorion (shawl) and to the Feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God, October 1. Sometimes personified as batiushka pokrov ‘Father Cover’ or matushka pokrov ‘Mother Cover’ (12, 23)

R

radunitsa

Tuesday of St. Thomas Week (the second week after Easter), originally a pagan holiday celebrating ancestors (9)

rusal′naia week

spring holiday that falls on the seventh (sometimes eighth) week after Easter (Pentacost), also called Trinity Week or zelënye sviatki (“Green Yuletide”) (9); possibly fixed in the pagan calendar on June 17–23 (17)

S

Savvatii

St. Savvatii, patron of bees, along with St. Zosima and sometimes St. Nicholas, September 17 (29)

semik

Thursday of Trinity Week, when funeral services are held for those who have not received a proper burial; possibly fixed in the pagan calendar on June 4 (9)

sochel′nik

Christmas eve (6)

spas

“Savior,” a common epithet for Christ, also used to identify three feasts (24):

• medovyi spas “Honey Savior,” also called mokryi spas “Wet Savior,” August 1
• iablochnyi spas “Apple Savior,” also called spas na gore “Savior on the Hill,” corresponds to the Transfiguration, August 6
• orekhovyi spas “Nut Savior,” August 16

U

uspenie

“Assumption” or “Dormition” of Mary, sometimes personified as matushka uspenie, August 15 (24)

V

verbnoe voskresen′e

Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter), literally Pussy-Willow Sunday (8)

Vlas

St. Vlas, Christian counterpart to pagan Volos, patron of cattle, February 12

Z

zelënye sviatki

see rusal′naia week

Zosima

St. Zosima, patron of bees, along with St. Savvatii, and sometimes St. Nicholas, April 17 (29)