Ukraine observes Honey Spas on August 1 this year, following the Orthodox Church of Ukraine’s switch to the New Julian calendar, which shifted many feast days 13 days earlier.
The holiday combines two church commemorations: the remembrance of the Maccabean martyrs and the Procession of the Venerable Wood of the Life-Giving Cross. It also marks the start of the two-week Dormition Fast.
A tradition rooted in the ninth century
The feast traces its origins to around the ninth century, when epidemics swept through cities each summer. Clergy would carry a piece of the Lord’s Cross out of churches to bless bodies of water, and the water was believed to become clean and healing, helping halt the spread of disease.
What gets blessed and how to mark the day
The central custom is the blessing of honeycomb. Tradition holds that honey should not be eaten before the feast day, and beekeepers bring their combs to church on August 1. After the blessing, honey is to be shared first with young children and those in need. Poppy seeds and poppy-filled pastries are also brought for blessing, and hosts have long baked large pies to share with friends, neighbours and the poor.
Because of its water-linked customs, the feast is also called Wet Spas. In earlier times, people went to lakes and rivers to bathe and wash their livestock, believing the water held healing power on that day. Visiting a beach on August 1 is one way to continue that custom.
What is forbidden
Several prohibitions are observed on Honey Spas, including swearing or speaking ill of others, heavy physical labour, working in the garden, wishing harm on anyone, and overindulging in food or alcohol. Because the Dormition Fast begins on the same day, only lean food is to be eaten.
