What is the holiday of September 28 today? According to the new Julian calendar of the OCU and the UGCC, on this day the Church honors Venerable Khariton the Confessor, the founder of the monasticism of the Palestinian desert, and celebrates the The Cathedral of the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechers who rest in the Near Caves – the first saints of the Ukrainian land. Together with them, the prophet Varuch, the martyrs Alexander, Alpheus, Zosima, Mark the shepherd, Nikon, Neon, Iliodorus and others and the pious prince Vyacheslav of Bohemia are remembered today. That is why thousands of believers are looking for answers to questions about folk customs of the day, strict prohibitions, name days and a strong prayer for peace and spiritual strength.
Orthodox holiday of September 28: the life of Saint Khariton the Confessor
Saint Chariton lived in the III century in the city of Iconia, in the Roman province of Lycaonia (these are the lands of modern Turkey). He was a man of deep faith and purity of life, and when the brutal persecution of Christians began under Emperor Aurelian (270-275 years), Chariton did not hide or remain silent: he openly confessed Christ and exposed the powerlessness of pagan idols. He was captured, tortured, his body was burned with fire, but the saint did not deny the Savior. For his courageous confession of faith without martyrdom, the Church called him a Confessor: he went through all the tortures and remained a living witness of Christ’s victory.
After the death of Aurelian, when the persecution subsided, Chariton went to Jerusalem to worship the holy places. On the way, in the desert near Jericho, robbers attacked him: they tied him up, threw him into a cave and went to look for new prey, intending to kill him later. Left alone in the dark, the saint did not complain, but prayed. According to church tradition, a snake crawled into the cave and poisoned with its poison the wine that the robbers left in the jug; when they returned, they drank it and died. Khariton, finding himself free, did not take anything from the looted treasure, except for what was needed for the arrangement of the temple: he built a church in that cave, and this is how the Faran Lavra appeared – the first monastic abode in the Judean desert.
The fame of the ascetic spread far and wide, and students began to flock to him. Then the saint, looking for silence, went further into the desert – and again the brothers grew up around him. So he founded a second monastery, the Lavra of Duka, in a gorge near the Jordan, and later a third, the Old Lavra (Sukkah), in the desert near Phecoa. It was Venerable Khariton who introduced the Lavra system in Palestinian monasticism: separate cells of ascetics who live alone all week, and on Saturday and Sunday gather together for common prayer, meals and Liturgy. This arrangement was later adopted by all the great monasteries of the East, including the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. Having lived a long life in prayer, humility and restraint, the saint peacefully departed to the Lord around 350.
Cathedral of the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk, resting in the Near Caves
On the same day, Ukraine prayerfully honors its first saints – the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk, whose relics rest in the Near (Antony) Caves of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. The beginning of this glorious community was laid by the monk Anthony, who, returning from Mount Athos, settled in a cave on the Dnieper hills near the village of Berestov. His feat attracted disciples, and over time a monastery grew up on these mountains, which became the spiritual heart of Kyivan Rus and the cradle of all Eastern Slavic monasticism.
The nearby caves became the final resting place of many ascetics, each of whom showed his special gift of service. Monk Marko Pechernyk, who dug graves for the brothers and received from God the power over diseases, rests here; Saint Agapitus, a gratuitous doctor who healed with prayers and potions and did not take a fee from anyone; Venerable Isaakiy Zatvirnik, who went through a difficult spiritual struggle and came out victorious; Saint Damian the Healer, Saints Prohirus, Nestor the Chronicler, Alipius the Iconographer, Mykola Sviatosha, Onesiphorus, Matthew the Seer, Lavrentiy Zatvirnik and other saints. They did not seek glory, they built temples, dug caves, rewrote books, treated the sick, fed the poor and left us the most important testimony: holiness is possible on our land, in our people, in our language.
Also read more biographies at Pray.ee: Life of Venerable Mark Pechernyk, Life of Venerable Agapitus, the physician without reward and complete collection of Lives of Saints.
What do the saints pray for on September 28
Christians turn to Venerable Khariton and the Kyiv-Pechersk fathers with a wide variety of needs, because these saints themselves went through temptations, work, illness and loneliness.
- On the strength to endure trials and not renounce faith, on the courage of confession before the world – following the example of St. Chariton.
- On healing from physical and mental ailments – they especially turn to the monks Agapitus and Damian, doctors without remuneration.
- About the peace and victory of Ukraine, about the protection of Kyiv and all our people, about the preservation of shrines and temples.
- About giving patience in loneliness and hard work, about victory over despair and laziness in prayer.
- On the good arrangement of the family and the upbringing of children – the Pechersky fathers were the spiritual fathers of the whole nation.
- About the gift of repentance and pure prayer, about liberation from passions and bad habits.
Folk traditions September 28: Khariton’s Day
In the Ukrainian national calendar, September 28 is known as Khariton day. This date was considered difficult: our ancestors believed that right now nature is rapidly losing heat, and with it – human strength, so the day required caution and spiritual vigilance. The people said that on Khariton it is better not to leave the house without an urgent need, especially in the evening, and the owners closed the doors and gates earlier than usual. It was also believed that on this day it is easy to “invoke” trouble with a complaint: you can’t complain about life, count your troubles out loud or share your plans with strangers.
The second feature of the day is the ban on extensive cleaning: it was believed that excessive commotion in the household would disturb the home and bring quarrels. Instead, they were advised to do quiet, good deeds: pray for relatives, clean only what is really necessary, cook a warm dinner and warm a lonely neighbor with it. On this day, they were also wary of the evil eye and attributed this ability to people with dark eyes, so children were given a piece of consecrated bread and asked for God’s blessing. The main thing that this day taught me: to keep the heart in peace, to guard the tongue from an evil word and not to be afraid of the darkness, because the light of Christ is stronger than it.
What absolutely cannot be done on September 28
- You can not quarrel, slander, gossip and condemn – on the day of remembrance of confessors of faith, the sin of speech is especially serious.
- One cannot refuse help to those who ask – Saint Chariton shared the latter all his life.
- You can’t complain about life and tell other people about your plans – according to popular belief, this invites failure.
- You shouldn’t do a lot of cleaning and noisy household chores – the day should pass quietly and peacefully.
- You should not leave the house unnecessarily in the evening – especially alone and in unfamiliar places.
- One cannot give in to envy, greed, revenge and despair – the Church directly calls these passions harmful to the soul.
Folk omens for the weather on September 28
- Cold wind – the next summer will be warm and generous for the harvest.
- A fine, clear and warm day – to a cold and snowy winter.
- Geese fly high – to great snow and floods in winter; fly low – the winter will be mild.
- Leaves from trees fall with the back (bottom) side up – expect a rich harvest next year.
- Abundant dew in the morning – to a generous harvest of vegetables and fruits next year.
- If the smoke from the chimney creeps on the ground – to protracted rains.
Canonical prayers of the day: tropari, kondaki and sincere prayer
Troparion of Saint Khariton the Confessor, tone 8:
You watered the barren desert with your tears, and with deep sighs you brought a hundredfold fruit of your labors, and you were the lamp of the universe, shining with miracles, our father Hariton. Pray to Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion of Venerable Khariton, tone 2:
Like a bright lamp and a pillar, burning with the fire of God’s love, you appeared in the desert, father: you founded the holy laurels and you gathered many monks, in silent prayer and tireless work. Therefore, with the faces of the monks, you stand before the Throne, Khariton, pray for the salvation of our souls.
Troparion of the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk, tone 4:
God of our fathers, who work with us always according to Your grace, did not give up Your mercy from us, but direct their lives in peace with their prayers, so that, like them, we too may see Your light and with them praise You, the only Lover of Man.
Kontakion of the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk, tone 8:
As the first flowers of our land and the first fruits of monasticism, Venerable Fathers, you brought pure prayer, fasting, humility and love to Christ; you settled in caves, as in bright chambers, and now your incorruptible relics, like unquenchable lamps, shine on everyone. Pray for peace and great mercy to be granted to our souls.
Sincere prayer to Venerable Khariton and the Kyiv-Pechersk fathers (domestic):
Oh, holy servants of God, Venerable Father Khariton and all the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk who lived in caves and sanctified our land with their imperishable relics! You, who loved Christ more than the world, glory and life itself, do not abandon us, sinners, who run to your intercession in prayer. Ask the Lord for peace, the victory of truth and the preservation of sanctuaries for our land, courage and protection for our soldiers, healing for the sick, comfort for the hopeless, love and harmony for our families. Teach us patience in work, humility in success and trust in God in the darkness of trials, so that we, like you, may walk the narrow path of repentance and be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, glorifying the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit now, and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Spiritual treasures on Pray.ee
Enrich your daily prayer experience with the materials of our portal:
- Find the prayer words you need in the section Canonical Orthodox prayers for every day.
- Give solemn praise to the Lord and His saints through the Full Assembly of Orthodox Akathists.
- Learn the ancient instructions of apostolic times about pure prayer without doubt in the book The Shepherd of Hermas (II century).
- Join us for prayer and spiritual discussion in our Christian Forum Pray.ee.
FAQ: frequently asked questions about the holiday of September 28
Which church holiday is celebrated on September 28 in a new style?
According to the New Julian calendar, on September 28, the OCU and the UGCC honor the memory of Venerable Khariton the Confessor and celebrate the Cathedral of the Venerable Fathers of Kyiv-Pechersk, who are resting in the Near (Antoniy) Caves. Together with them, the prophet Varuch, the martyrs Alexander, Alpheus, Zosima, Mark the shepherd, Nikon, Neon and Iliodorus and the pious prince Vyacheslav Chesky are remembered.
Who celebrates the name day (angel’s day) on September 28?
Today, Khariton, Varukh, Vyacheslav, Oleksandr, Marko, Nikon and Antony are celebrating their birthdays.
Is today a fasting day?
September 28, 2026 falls on a Monday — there is no obligatory fast, any food is allowed. At the same time, the Church calls for self-restraint, prayer and works of charity, and monks, according to the ancient statute, observe fasting on Mondays as well.
Why is St. Chariton called the Confessor?
The Church calls a confessor a person who openly confessed Christ before the persecutors and accepted torture for it, but remained alive. Saint Chariton went through torture under Emperor Aurelian and did not renounce his faith, so his memory is a testimony that courage does not always end in martyrdom.