December 24 is celebrated by believers the memory of the Orthodox monk Nikon Sukhoi, Pecherskyi. The saint was a monk of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In 1096, he was captured by the Polovtsian Khan Bonyak during his attack on Kyiv. The nomads tried to get a large ransom for the monk, but this did not happen, so Nikon spent three years in captivity, from which he was released thanks to prayer. The monk was called Dry because he suffered terrible torture in captivity and because of that he lost a lot of weight.

The weather is usually predicted on this day. If it’s sunny outside or crows are circling in the sky, there will be a storm. If the squirrels hide in hollows or the sun’s rays diverge in different directions, severe frosts should be expected.

In ancient times, people believed that on this day, witches and devils fly over the earth together with skunks. In order to protect themselves from the attack of evil spirits, the Orthodox prayed to Nikon on this day and asked for his intercession.