On August 22, the Orthodox Church pays tribute to the holy martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, Theoprepius and their companions, to the holy virgin martyr Eulalia, as well as to the venerable Anthusa. The day preserves the memory of Christians who accepted torture and death rather than renounce their faith.
Folk beliefs, however, add a different layer to the date – beliefs about guarding the granaries, warnings related to the forest, and natural signs by which people in the past divined what autumn and winter would be like. A special place is given to good deeds and diligent work, which, according to tradition, return to a person with good.
Agathonicus did not renounce his faith
Saint Agathonicus lived in Nicomedia during the persecutions against Christians. He was of noble birth, knew the Holy Scriptures well, and attracted pagans to the Christian faith. Because of his sermons, he was captured along with Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severianus, and other Christians.
The detainees were taken to Thrace, where they were to face the authorities. The wounds from the torture proved so severe that Zoticus, Theoprepius, and Acindynus could not continue the journey and were killed. Later, the same fate befell Severianus.
Agathonicus endured the journey to Selymbria, where he was sentenced to death. He accepted the sentence with a prayer.
The Church also honors Eulalia and Anthusa
The official calendar of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church also marks the memory of the holy virgin martyr Eulalia and the venerable Anthusa on August 22. According to tradition, Anthusa was the daughter of wealthy parents from Seleucia, who accepted baptism and spent 23 years in the desert.
Bishop Athanasius, who baptized her, as well as her two servants Charisim and Neophytus, also suffered for the Christian faith.
Therefore, the ecclesiastical meaning of the day is connected above all with steadfastness in the faith and the refusal to trade it for peace, privileges, or salvation at any cost. The Bulgarian Orthodox tradition indeed honors the martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, and Theoprepius, the martyr Eulalia, and the venerable Anthusa on this date. [1]
An old belief guards the granaries
Folk tradition takes August 22 far from the cities – to the fields, hayfields, and granaries. According to an old belief, it was at this time that a forest spirit would roam the villages and could untie the sheaves and scatter the hay if the farmers did not protect their harvest.
That is why men would tie scarves around their heads and trace a protective circle around the granaries, which was not to be crossed.
One of the strongest warnings for the day is also related to the forest. According to legend, one should not go deep among the trees because one might lose their way and find it difficult to find the path back. A similar folk belief that it is not good to go into the forest on this date due to the danger of getting lost is also found in Bulgarian publications about the day. [10]
Good deeds return threefold
On the feast of Saint Agathonicus, folk beliefs encourage people to do more good deeds and to do them without selfishness. It was believed that what was done with a pure heart would return threefold, and diligent work on this day brings prosperity and success in what has been started.
A special custom was associated with women – according to tradition, they sat down for their first meal only after sunset. It was believed that this way they could preserve their youth and beauty for longer.
Gifts, travel, and natural signs
Old beliefs do not recommend giving or accepting gifts on August 22, as it was believed that this could bring misfortune. Long trips, as well as starting a new major endeavor, were also considered unfavorable.
These prohibitions belong to folk tradition, while the church's remembrance of the date remains focused on the martyrs and the strength of their faith.
Nature also has a place in the folk calendar for August 22. Sunny weather predicts a warm autumn, while a cold and damp day is perceived as a sign of an early and frosty winter.
If there are few mushrooms in the forest but many walnuts, the old belief predicts snowy and cold months. Foggy mornings are taken as a sign that the warm weather will last longer. And if birds fly high in the sky, according to folk observations, this warns of a cold winter.