Saint Barbara, Feast Day December 17, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Greek saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Heliopolis of Syria, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings; her name can be traced to the 7th century, and veneration of her was common, especially in the East, from the 9th century.

Folk Tradition

А folk legend, recorded in Vinnytsia, says that the holy Barbara the Great Martyr was so wise in embroidery that embellished the vestment of Jesus Christ Himself. "It was she who taught us how to embroider!”

On the day of the Great Martyr Barbara it is a sin to launder, to whitewash and knead clay. "One can only embroider and spin yarn ..." When beginning  to embroidery, once girls were crossed themselves and whispered: "The holy Barbara's embroidered Christ's vestments with gold thread and taught us.”

"Barbara" - the day of turning towards spring. A proverb says Barbara shortened the night and lengthened the day. “

The following day is St. Sava, and the next, St. Nicholas. In Ukraine at this time, usually, large snows would fall, "real" frosts start, and rivers freeze. Ukrainian proverbs say:

«Варвара снігом постелить, Сава загладить хуртовиною, а Микола морозом придавить»
"Barbara will spread the bed with snow, Sava will  smooth it with a blizzard, and Nicholas will press it with frost.”

«Варвара мосте, Сава гостре, а Микола гвозде!»
”Varvara paves, Sava sharpens, and Nicholas forces(?)!”

«Варвара заварить, а Микола поставить кола!»
"Barbara will cook it, and Nicholas place it nearby!"

These three days our villagers used to prepare kutia and uzvar - “so the fields may bring forth bread and the gardens be abundant.”