On January 17, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Anthony the Great, the first universally recognized founder of monastic asceticism.
His life was spent in fasting and prayer. During his 20-year solitude in the desert, suffering and sick people came to him, with whom the saint talked for hours. Today his relics are in Vienna.
According to popular beliefs, celebrating St. Anthony's Day is mandatory in order to protect ourselves from diseases.
On this day, women do not spin, knit, or boil beans and lentils, so as not to anger the plague and smallpox.
St. Anthony's Day is also called Lelinden, Chumin den - the holiday is associated with protection from diseases and especially the "aunt" - the plague. The saints are often called the "fathers of the plague", since it is believed that she was born on their holiday. In this regard, there are a number of prohibitions for women: wool is not touched - because it is believed that the plague sleeps in wool; beans, lentils, corn, and pulses are not boiled - so that children do not get sick; no knitting or sewing.
Traditionally, on this day, women bake soda cakes, pierce the top with a masur or fork so that children don't get "pierced" by measles, spread with molasses or honey and give them to relatives and neighbors for health, and leave one in the attic for the "aunt".
In some places, St. Anton's Day is considered a bad holiday, because on this day St. Anton pursues madness with a knife in his hand, it hides in the devil and the saint is furious.
Traditionally, soda cake, tutmanik, stuffed chicken are present on the table. Pork is not used to prevent diseases from spreading.
On this day, name days are celebrated by:Anton, Andon, Antoine, Antonia, Antonina, Antoaneta, Toncho, Tonya, Doncho, Donko, Donka.