August 3 is Onisim's Day, Semyon the Summer Guide's Day. And silence is golden…

That’s it. Almost the end. According to popular belief, August 3 is the time to start saying goodbye to summer. Of course, September is still a long way off, but cold weather has already set in at night. Peasants sowed winter crops, picked apples in the orchards, and cleaned up the places inside the barns that are designated for storing grain crops.

The Church now honors the memory of the Most Saint Onuphrius of the Caves, who, according to researchers, lived in the 12th century and was known as a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the Near Caves — today his incorruptible relics are located there. For what reason was Onuphrius canonized? Information about this has not survived. However, it is known that Onuphrius, like many monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, observed silent seclusion. By the way, Onuphrius lived at the same time as Theodore the Silent. It is for this reason that peasants also tried to speak as little as possible, and did all their work silently. It was believed that without unnecessary need there was no need to utter unnecessary words.

• Thunderstorms have been going on all day long, and there’s a risk of hail.
• Fog spreads across the lowlands – it’s going to get warm.
• If a spider doesn’t weave a web, it’s going to rain.
• When it rains, owls hoot in the forest — the sun will come out soon.
• Fireflies are clearly visible — autumn will not come soon.
• Small fish splashing on the surface of the water means it’s getting warm.
• The roach has sunk to the bottom, which means there will be a strong thunderstorm.
• A lot of dew means a poor flax harvest.
• A wet road in the morning means warmth.
• Going to the field or forest before lunch is a bad omen. It is believed that this leads to illness.
• Anyone born on this day should wear a sunflower as a talisman.
• It is believed that summer ends after lunch on this day.
• Lots of acorns mean a fruitful year.
• It’s warm but damp outside — there will be lots of mushrooms in the forest.
• Frost on the trees in the morning means the next year will be fruitful.
• Domestic geese are rushing into the sky — it’s early autumn.

The following people celebrate their name day today: Georgy, Evgeny, Anna, Peter, Ivan, Fyodor, Roman.