On January 24, Christians of the Eastern rite in Ukraine celebrate the Day of St. Xenia. Previously, it was celebrated on February 6, but after the OCU switched to a new calendar, the date of the holiday changed.

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Traditions of the day.

On the holiday, believers went to the temple and prayed to St. Xenia, considered the patroness of women. Women and girls who want to get married and become pregnant ask her for help and protection.. They also turn to her with prayer for health and healing.

Previously, this holiday was the “turning point of winter”, since from this day until the next harvest you need the same amount of supplies as have already been eaten. On this day, the owners checked whether their grain reserves would be enough until the new harvest.. Therefore, the holiday was also called Ksenia Half-bread.

Fortune telling for the harvest was also performed on this day.. A little rye was placed on the table in the evening, and if in the morning it seemed that there was more grain, then this was a good sign.

Prayer to Saint Xenia.

O holy servant of God Ksenia! Look mercifully with your eye on us, servant of God (names), they pray to your honest icon with emotion and ask you for help and protection. Forgive your prayers to the Lord God of our warmth and ask for forgiveness of sins for our souls.

For with a grieving heart and a humble spirit, we call on you, a merciful intercessor to the Lord and a prayer book for us sinners, just as you received from Him the grace to pray for us and deliver us from troubles.. We ask you, do not neglect us, unworthy, who pray to you and are in need of your help, and confess to everyone that salvation is useful, as through your prayers to the Lord God, having received grace and mercy, we glorify all the good Sources and the Gift-Giver and the One God, in the Holy Trinity the glory. Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.