On January 27, Orthodox Christians celebrate the day of Saint Nina, who lived in the 3rd century and is considered the enlightener of Georgia. In the folk calendar, this day is called Nina's Day. In the past, special attention was paid to domestic livestock, especially cows. Aware of the prohibitions, our ancestors tried not to make noise, not to borrow money, and not to throw away old things. Let's find out why.
On January 27, Orthodox churches honor Saint Nina, who is considered the patroness and enlightener of Georgia.
Saint Nina was born in the late 3rd century in Cappadocia to noble and pious parents.
From the age of 12, she lived in Jerusalem. According to legends, one day she dreamed of the Most Holy Theotokos, who pointed the way to the Lord's Chiton, which was located in Iberia (modern-day Georgia). Upon learning this, Nina set out for those lands where Christianity had not yet spread.
God endowed Nina with the gift of miracle-working, which allowed her to heal the Georgian queen Nana, who was suffering from a severe illness. After this, the queen, who believed in the Almighty, accepted baptism. Upon learning this, King Mirian nearly imprisoned his wife, where she faced imminent death.
However, at that moment, the city was engulfed in darkness, the king was blinded, and his entourage fled in terror. The pagan idols could not help the king. But as soon as the people who had managed to accept Christianity began to pray to the Almighty, the Sun appeared, illuminating the land. Nina healed Mirian, after which he believed in God and accepted baptism.
Prayer to Saint Nina the Equal-to-the-Apostles
“O all-praised and wondrous Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, we flee to you and humbly ask you: protect us (names) from all evils and sorrows, enlighten the enemies of the holy Church of Christ and shame the opponents of piety, and beseech the All-Bountiful God our Savior, before whom you now stand, to grant the Orthodox people peace, long life, and success in every good endeavor, and may the Lord bring us into His Heavenly Kingdom, where all the saints glorify His most holy name, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
Folk Calendar: Nina's Day
The folk holiday dedicated to the Equal-to-the-Apostles saint was called Nina's Day, as well as Nina, Nina – the holiday of livestock.
The latter name is associated with the fact that on January 27 (January 14 in the old style), special attention was paid to domestic animals, especially cows. Animals that provided milk, from which many important products were made, were considered the nurturers of families.
Nina's Day: What to Do
On Nina's Day, our ancestors would definitely visit the church to honor Saint Nina, the patroness of domestic livestock. But this is not her only role.
In ancient times, it was known that Saint Nina protects families from diseases, maintains peace and tranquility within them. People turned to her with prayers when someone close was seriously ill or could not find their way in life.
On Nina's Day, peasants would tidy up the barn, give cows more feed and water, and speak to them with kind words. “On Saint Nina, please the livestock,” “If you don’t water the cow, you won’t get any milk,” they used to say in the old days.
It was believed that cow's milk on Nina's Day possesses special power, so each family member would receive their portion of this healing drink. “A cow in warmth – milk on the table,” “Oh-ho-ho, without milk it’s hard, no milk, no cream,” these proverbs also come from ancient times.
Nina's Day was considered a time to tidy up not only in the barn but also in the house. It was customary to finish unfinished tasks and sort out belongings. However, clutter was not to be thrown away; that was to be done later. Women would wash, cook, and engage in handicrafts, while men chopped wood and cleared the yards of snow.
Nina's Day: Folk Omens
Nina's Day can tell about the weather. In ancient times, it was known: if the trees were covered with hoarfrost at night, there would be no snowfall in the next two to three days. If the sky is “covered” with stars, it foretells warmth.
If the celestial bodies are rare – it indicates a snowstorm and bad weather. A snowstorm and blizzard can be “foretold” by crows that start making noise in the morning. However, early crowing of roosters promises a thaw.
On Nina's Day, our ancestors listened to the samovar. If it was noisier than usual, it meant there would be a strong frost.
On Nina's Day, name days are celebrated: Nina, Mark, Sergey, Pavel, Agnia, Stepan, Moses, Ilya, Benjamin, Andrey. People born on this day are characterized by incredible determination and love for work. They manage to solve the most complex tasks, and their relatives and friends value them.
What Not to Do on Nina's Day
The main commandment of Nina's Day is not to offend cows and not to raise one's voice at them. It was believed that this would bring misfortune and deprive the family of prosperity. On Nina's Day, it is forbidden to:
Cut hair – this may shorten life.
Borrow money and take loans – leads to financial loss.
Refuse to give alms – leads to illness.
Throw away old things – leads to loss of luck.
Sleep in too long, be idle – happiness will turn away from the home.
The elders knew: on Nina's Day, one should not conflict, gossip, or hold grudges against each other. During this time, even raising one's voice was feared, so as not to attract misfortune into the home.
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