Do not pet cats or laugh for no reason. Prohibitions and omens on Dmitriev day 8 November 2026
In 2026, November 8 falls on a Sunday. It's a day off, twenty-third week of Pentecost, no fast. The Church remembers the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki, as well as the earthquake in Constantinople in 740 and the martyrs Marcian and Martyr. In the people, the date was called Dmitriev Day or Big Osenins. It was believed that from this day the winter finally comes into its own.
Dimitri lived at the turn of the third and fourth centuries. In Russia, he was especially revered. His father was the ruler of Thessalonica, now called Thessaloniki, and secretly believed in Christ. When his father died, Dimitri took his place. The new position required him to defend the city and persecute Christians, but he did otherwise. The saint openly declared his faith and began to preach, for which he was called the second Paul. The rumor of the sermon reached the emperor, and he ordered the execution of Demetrius. Before his death, the saint gave the poor everything he had.
In Russia, Demetrius was considered the patron saint of warriors and princes. Vsevolod the Great Nest transferred his miraculous icon to Vladimir and erected the Dimitriev Cathedral there. And Dmitry Donskoy later transferred the image to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
The main thing of this day was the commemoration of the dead. According to legend, the souls of the dead fly to the graves, turning into birds. So people went to the cemetery and sprinkled grain on the graves. They baked pancakes at home and sat down at the memorial table. On it stood kutya, pies, jelly, as well as a dish that the deceased loved. For the soul of the deceased left a separate plate with the same food. They could not eat from it, and the next day the contents were given to animals or birds.
Dmitriev closed the wedding season. After that, marriages and weddings stopped until spring. The people said: “The girl is cunning before Dmitr, and after Dmitr it will not be so.” It was also a custom to eat fresh beer. They said: on Dmitriev day and a sparrow under a bush brews beer. It was considered a good thing to visit relatives, to visit their parents.
Particular attention was paid to hospitality. The owners tried to invite a richer person to visit: they believed that after that the year would turn out well and bring profit. Unmarried girls fed a homeless dog. After that, you have to get a good husband.
The day was suitable for the memory of the dead, good deeds and preparation for winter:
On this day, it is better not to violate a number of prohibitions, otherwise, according to legend, you can call trouble:
The weather and the behavior of nature on this day suggested what winter and spring would be like:
Dreams on this night show whether we are moving in a circle, repeating previous mistakes, or draw conclusions and go forward. If you dream of a shameful episode from the past, this is a sure sign: the lesson has not been learned and the situation may recur. On this night, you can see a path worth choosing to move on. If you are faced with a choice, sleep can suggest the right decision. It is important not to miss the subconscious signals, otherwise the lesson will have to be repeated.
