What holiday is September 26 today?According to the new Julian calendar of the OCU and the UGCC, the Church commemorates this day prayerfullythe death of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian— the beloved disciple of Christ, the author of the fourth Gospel, three cathedral messages and the book of Revelation. He was the only one of the twelve who did not accept martyrdom, but went to the Lord in a very old age, leaving the highest theology of love to the Church. That is why thousands of believers are looking for answers to questions about folk customs of this day, prohibitions, name days and a strong prayer to the apostle of love.
Orthodox holiday of September 26: the life of the apostle and evangelist John the Theologian
St. John was the son of fisherman Zebedee and Salome, the brother of the apostle James. The family lived in Galilee, near the lake, and the brothers and their father were fishing when Christ called them to Him. The Gospel says that they immediately left the boat and their father and followed the Master. For their fiery zeal, the Lord called the Voanerges brothers “sons of thunder.” Together with Peter and James, John belonged to the closest circle of disciples: he witnessed the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and the prayer for the cup in the Garden of Gethsemane.
At the Last Supper, it was John who leaned against the Savior’s chest and asked who would betray Him. He, one of the apostles, stood by the Cross on Calvary, when the rest ran away, and there he heard from the lips of the Crucified the words that became a testament for the entire Church: behold, your Mother. From that moment, the apostle took the Holy Mother of God to himself, serving Her as a son. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, he preached in Samaria and Judea, and then together with his disciple Prokhor went to Asia Minor, where the city of Ephesus became the place of his apostolic work.
During the reign of Emperor Domitian, around 95, John was captured, tried in Rome and, according to tradition, made to drink a cup of deadly poison; the apostle crossed the cup, drank it and remained alive. Then he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil, and even there he came out unharmed. For this, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he received a revelation about the fate of the world and the Church and wrote the book of Revelation (Apocalypse), and also converted many islanders to Christ with strange miracles, healing the sick and casting out demons.
After the death of Domitian, the apostle returned to Ephesus, where already in his old age, at the request of his disciples and bishops, he wrote his Gospel – the highest, theological one, which begins with the words “In the beginning was the Word.” Church tradition has preserved a touching story about a young man who was converted by the apostle, and who later went on the path of a thief; then old John himself went to the mountains to look for him, found him, embraced him with his weak arms and turned him to repentance. Another tradition tells how a hunter saw the apostle with a hand-held partridge and was surprised, to which the saint replied: a bow that is drawn all the time loses its strength – so a person needs time for prayer and silence.
When the apostle was more than a hundred years old, he took seven of his disciples outside the city, ordered a cross-shaped grave to be dug, laid down in it and commanded to cover himself with earth up to his shoulders. The disciples returned to the city crying, and when they came to open the tomb the next day, the body was not there: the Lord took His beloved disciple, just as He once did Enoch and Elijah. Every year on May 8, fine fragrant dust emerged from the grave of the apostle in Ephesus, which the faithful called manna and which healed the sick. That is why the Church calls John not just an apostle, but a theologian – the one who saw and proclaimed the mystery of God’s love.
Read more biographies at Pray.ee: Life of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian and complete collection of Lives of Saints.
What do they pray to the holy apostle John the Theologian
Apostle John is one of the most beloved saints in the entire Christian world. They turn to him not only in trouble, but also when the heart seeks to learn the main thing – love.
- About giving love to God and neighbor, about rooting out envy, anger and condemnation – because the apostle reduced all his teaching to the commandment of love.
- On wisdom and intelligence in education – John the Theologian is considered the patron saint of theologians, students, teachers, writers and icon painters.
- On healing from eye diseases, headaches and nervous disorders, on liberation from the fear of death and despair.
- On protection from poison, evil sorcery and enemy weapons – recalling the cup of poison that the saint drank unharmed.
- On the conversion of children and loved ones who have gone astray – based on the example of a young man whom the apostle turned to repentance.
- About a peaceful, steadfast death and the salvation of the soul, because St. John himself crossed the border of death without fear.
Folk traditions September 26: the day of Ivan the Theologian
In the Ukrainian folk calendar, this day is known as Ivan the Theologian, or The Theologian. Our ancestors used to say: “A theologian leads autumn from the field” – by this date, all field work was completed, the last sheaves were taken away, the garden and vegetable garden were cleaned, and the house was prepared for the cold weather. It was believed that the one who did not have time to organize the economy before the Theologian will be poor all year, and there will be no order in the house. Housewives on this day made sure to bake bread from new grain and share it with those who are poorer.
The second ancient tradition is honoring the book. Since the Apostle John wrote the Gospel, in Ukraine on this day children were given a primer or a prayer book, schoolchildren were blessed for their studies, and adults took the Gospel in their hands and read aloud the first lines from John: “In the beginning of time there was a Word.” In the villages, there was a custom to bring new icons to the church for blessing, especially those depicting the apostle, because he is considered the patron saint of icon painters. And the day of Ivan the Theologian was considered good for reconciliation: they went to those with whom they had a disagreement, asked for forgiveness and sat down at a common table.
What absolutely cannot be done on September 26
- It is impossible to start hard physical work and new big things – God’s day, devoted to prayer and reading the Gospel.
- You cannot quarrel, condemn and slander – the apostle of love does not accept prayers from a heart full of malice.
- You cannot refuse alms, overnight stay and a piece of bread – on this day, travelers and beggars were especially taken care of.
- You cannot pick up a knife or an ax unnecessarily – according to popular belief, a wound inflicted on this day does not heal for a long time.
- You must not disrespect a book – throw it on the floor, tear it, use it for other purposes.
- One cannot be sad and lose hope in God’s love – the spiritual meaning of the holiday lies precisely in trusting the Father.
Folk omens for the weather on September 26
- If the day is clear and warm, summer will last a long time, and autumn will be dry.
- Cobwebs are spreading on the ground and flying in the air – to a clear, beautiful autumn.
- The leaves from the cherry trees have not yet fallen – the snow will fall very late.
- If thunder is heard at Bogoslov, the winter will be warm and with little snow.
- Birds get lost in a flock and scream loudly – wait for a quick cooling.
- Low heavy clouds in the morning – to prolonged rains and early winter.
Canonical prayers of the day: troparion, kondak and sincere prayer
Troparion of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, tone 2:
Apostle, beloved by Christ God, hasten to save people who have no answer: for He who has deigned to receive you on your breast receives you, who falls. Ask him, O God-speaker, to dispel the darkness of sins and give the light of knowledge, praying for our souls.
Kontakion of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, tone 2:
Your majesty, apostle, who will tell? Because you, having rested on Christ’s chest, drew wisdom from the depths of the Godhead and proclaimed to the world the Word that was from the beginning of time. Therefore, as a beloved disciple and secreter of ineffable secrets, we glorify you and pray: pray, God-speaker, for the salvation of our souls.
Sincere prayer to the holy apostle John the Theologian (home):
Oh, holy apostle, evangelist John the Theologian, beloved disciple of Christ and confidant of God’s secrets! You, who at the Last Supper leaned against the chest of the Savior and heard the beating of His Heart, you who stood under the Cross with the Most Pure Virgin and accepted Her as your Mother, you who drank the death cup unharmed and sanctified the island of Patmos with your tears, hear us, sinners, who run with faith to your intercession. Ask the Lord for the love that you preached until your last breath: teach us to love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves. Give intelligence and vigilance to our children in their studies, heal our physical and mental ailments, drive away from us all the poison of sin, fear and despair, reconcile the warring parties, bring back those who have gone astray, and ask for peace for our land. Pray to Christ God that He may grant us, as you, a bright and peaceful death and eternal life in His Kingdom. Amen.
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FAQ: frequently asked questions about the holiday of September 26
Which church holiday is celebrated on September 26 in a new style?
According to the New Julian calendar of the OCU and the UGCC, on September 26, the Church commemorates the burial (assumption) of the holy glorious apostle and evangelist John the Theologian, the confidant of Christ.
Why is the holiday called the end, and not the day of death?
According to church tradition, the apostle John did not die an ordinary death: at his own behest, he was buried alive in a cross-shaped grave, and when the disciples opened it, the body was not there. Therefore, the Church does not speak of death, but of the resurrection – a transition to eternity, similar to the taking of the prophet Elijah.
Who celebrates the name day (angel’s day) on September 26?
The following are celebrating their birthdays today: Ivan, John (John), Jacob and Salomia – names from the circle of the apostle’s family and discipleship.
Is today a fasting day?
September 26, 2026 falls on Saturday — there is no fasting, it is allowed to eat any moderate food. The Church only calls to spend the day in prayer, reading the Gospel and works of charity.