In the folk calendar there is a holiday - the Chrysostom Fire It is celebrated on February 9 (January 27, old style), and the name of the day is taken from the church date of honoring the memory of St John Chrysostom, one of the Great Saints John was born in the 4th century in Antioch and studied the Holy Scriptures from his youth When he became archbishop in Constantinople, he preached daily for Christians His speeches so impressed the hearts of believers that the saint was named Chrysostom During his life, John did many good deeds, cared for the poor, orphans and widows, and wrote hundreds of theological works He used the money received to build hospitals and hotels for traveling pilgrims The people prayed to Saint John for the enlightenment of the mind, the assimilation of spiritual knowledge and for deliverance from sad thoughts On his day, healers read conspiracies to help with toothache, as well as for power over others The flame was especially revered on this day, which is where the name Chrysostom fire came from It was believed that whoever lit the fire in the stove in one fell swoop would have family well-being and prosperity Therefore, the peasants dried the firewood in advance, and split the logs into thin slivers to heat it According to the signs on the day of the Chrysostom Fire, they were guided by the future weather If clouds moved across the sky in the opposite direction from the wind, snowfall was expected Fogged glass on the windows in winter foreshadowed warming, and rain in summer If the cows tapped their hooves, they waited for a day with snow Rounded snow piles meant that summer would bring a rich harvest