Figure 1.--Here is a generic Angel's Day card from before the Revolution. The card is not dated, but was probably sold about 1910. As the lengend says Angel's Day feast or celebration, it could be used for any child, what ever his name. Notice boys are depicted on the cards. I think the idea is that the boys are bringing flowers to a girl.

Angel's or Name Day is an old Tsarist tradition. Name Day is a Christian tradition, practiced by both the Catholic and Orthodox churchdes. Practices varied from country to country. Tsarist Russia had a close association with the Orthodoxial Church. Parents in Tsarist times were not free to chose just any name for a child, both boys and girls. There was a different day set aside for each first name. The names were the mames of saints. The Bolsheviks after the Revolution attempted to supress the Church and promote aethism. The Church calendar was no longer observed. The Bolsheviks created their own calendar to replace the Church calendar. Several such calendars appeared during the Soviet era. They included names like "Comintern", "Vladlen" (from VLADimir + LENin), "Industric", "Octyabrina", "Stalina" (from STALIN) and so on. But there was no requirement that parents chose these names. Russians today have revived the old Tsarist era Orthodox tradition. This depends on the beliefs of the parents. Therev are a lot of people whose names do not concide with names of saint patrons on their birthday. Somebody people use this use this as an opportunity to celebrate "Birthday" twice per year. This did not occur during Tsarist times when the Name Day and birthday coincided. Others celebrate only theur actual birthday.

Tsarist Russia

Angel's or Name Day is an old Tsarist tradition. Name Day is a Christian tradition, practiced by both the Catholic and Orthodox churchdes. Practices varied from country to country. Tsarist Russia had a close association with the Orthodoxial Church. Parents in Tsarist times were not free to chose just any name for a child, both boys and girls. There was a different day set aside for each first name. Some days had several days. There was a "Svyatsy" (Church Calendar) which had to be consulted. Each day was a celebration of a venerated saint. The parents would choose a name for a chlid from the names of the saints who were celebrated on this day. For example 1st November (today). By Russian Orthodoxial Church calendar is is 19th October. Several names are designated for this dat. Male names include: Iohil, War, Ivan, Sergey, Sadok, Leontiy, Dmitriy, Felix, and Evseviy. Female names include: Cleopatra and Flora. Some days in a year were called by names of their respective patron saints. Thus January 25 (January 12 by the Church calendar was the Day of st. Tatiana, "Tatyanin Den'"--Students Day. Another popular day is November 1 (19th October), Day of st. Dmitriy Solunsky, "Dmitry's Saturday". On this day a prayer was offered for all warriors who died in the fight for the Orthodoxial belief. So for a child bon on a specific day, according to the Orthodoxial tradition, parents would choose a name from those listed on that day. A Church calendar name was not always a common Russian name, like Dmitriy or Sergey. And even in Tsarist times, parents often choose a name of Saint from a day close ti the birthday, but not the exact same name. Parents did not chose exotic names like "Sadok" or "War". Nevertheless, a birthday of a person was the same dayn (or close to it) of the celebration of the saint patron of a boy/girl. Thus "Imeniny" (Day of the Name), "Angel's day" (celebration of Saint Patron), and a Birthday were all the same celebration.

Soviet Times

The Bolsheviks after the Revolution attempted to supress the Church and promote aethism. The Church calendar was no longer observed. The Bolsheviks created their own calendar to replace the Church calendar. Several such calendars appeared during the Soviet era. They included names like "Comintern", "Vladlen" (from VLADimir + LENin), "Industric", "Octyabrina", "Stalina" (from STALIN) and so on. But there was no requirement that parents chose these names. Parents could choose any name for a girl or boy. Only birthdays were celebrated. The celebration of Angel's day and Name's day were forbidden. Nevertheless, the use of "Imeninnyk" (from "Imeniny") for "a person, who's birthday is today".

Modern Russia

Russians today have revived the old Tsarist era Orthodox tradition. This depends on the beliefs of the parents. Therev are a lot of people whose names do not concide with names of saint patrons on their birthday. Somebody people use this use this as an opportunity to celebrate "Birthday" twice per year. This did not occur during Tsarist times when the Name Day and birthday coincided. Others celebrate only theur actual birthday. Some days are particularly popular. Tatyana (January 25) is celebrated like Students' Day and is very popular among students. This is probably because Tatyana is such a classic Russian girl's name. After the fall of Communism, the term Angel's Day began to be used again, but Name Day is still also used. In modern Russia, flower companies are trying to promote the idea of sending flowers on the many different days.

Reader Comment

A reader writes, "I don't know anything about name days in Russia, but if it is anything like in Italy, it is the day that you celebrate your birthday on, after a saint. My wife was from Italy and that is the reason I know about the custom." Another reader writes, "In Serbia each family name has its own Saint's day. On that day families get together and party. The pupil would not be in school that day. In Tajikistan name day was celebrated as a birthday event. The difference was it celebrated the day the day a person was given a name. I rather like this idea so have a birthday and a naming day celebration plus a celebration to celebrate the Saint associated with my name. I have picked St Andrew and celebrate that day."

Created: 1:45 PM 10/31/2008
Last updated: 7:05 PM 11/1/2008