On 24 August, the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, following the new calendar, honors the memory of the holy martyr Eutychius, a bishop and disciple of the Apostle John the Theologian. In folk tradition the day is known as Eutychius the Quiet, or the Quiet Star, and is believed to be best spent calmly, in the company of family, without unnecessary fuss or noise.
Who Was Saint Eutychius
According to church tradition, Eutychius lived in the first and second centuries in Sebastia, a city in ancient Palestine. After hearing a sermon about Christ, he converted and became a disciple of John the Theologian, later preaching alongside the Apostle Paul.
Practising and preaching Christianity was dangerous at the time. Eutychius was tortured and threatened with death on several occasions: he was held in a dungeon and starved, thrown onto a fire and set upon by wild animals. Tradition holds that he survived each time, with rain said to have once extinguished the flames of a bonfire, wild beasts leaving him unharmed, and one account even describing a lion speaking to him in a human voice. He was eventually killed with a sword while preaching in his native Sebastia. Believers pray to Saint Eutychius for health, peace in the home, the raising of children and family wellbeing.
The Old Calendar Date
Under the old calendar, 24 August marks the memory of the martyrs Theodore and Basil of the Kyiv Caves, along with the Venerable Theodore, Prince of Ostroh.
Customs of the Quiet Star
The day is popularly called Eutychius the Quiet because, according to legend, the saint had a calm and even-tempered character. His feast day is traditionally spent quietly, within the family circle, doing household chores or in quiet gatherings.
The day is also known as the Quiet Star because the stars are said to be still and windless at this time of year, while daylight hours are noticeably shortening and nights grow longer.
By tradition, today is a day for "quiet hunting", meaning trips to the forest to pick mushrooms. Household and garden work is also considered suitable, and the evening is usually spent together over a calm family dinner.
What Not to Do Today
The church warns against anger, envy, swearing, gossip and slander on this day. It also advises against greed and despair, and against refusing help to those in need, whether people or animals.
In folk belief, the day of Eutychius the Quiet is considered difficult, even dangerous, and comes with a number of prohibitions. Making noise or quarrelling is discouraged, since any hostility that begins on this day is believed to drag on and turn those involved into bitter enemies.
Tradition also advises against going into the forest or to a body of water alone on this day, and urges extra care with sharp objects, since wounds received on 24 August are said to heal especially slowly.
Weather Omens for August 24
Folk omens observed on this day are traditionally used to predict the weather and the coming winter. If rain falls in the morning, autumn and winter are expected to be dry, with a bountiful harvest the following year. A large number of acorns on oak trees is said to signal a snowy, frosty winter, while great tits crying during the day are believed to foretell approaching storms of wind and heavy rain.
Dreams on the night of Eutychius the Quiet are also given special attention, believed to be prophetic and to reveal something of a person's state of mind.
Name Days on August 24
Those celebrating their name day on 24 August include Ivan and Heorhii. Tradition holds that people born on this date face many trials in life, but their strength of spirit helps them overcome difficulties and emerge victorious. Despite having a strict character, they are said to remain sentimental and not immune to ordinary human weaknesses.
