The Day of Luke. What Orthodox Christians in Latvia can and cannot do on October 31, 2026?

In the folk tradition, the day was associated with the name of the saint and was called the Day of Luke, and it was considered necessary to eat something with onions. **What is remembered in the Church on October 31, 2026** Luke was a contemporary of Jesus. He lived in the 1st century and was from Antioch in Syria. Little is known about his life. He was likely from an enlightened Greek family and received a good education. Apparently, he was well-versed in law, history, philosophy, medicine, and studied painting. Hearing about Jesus, Luke came to Palestine, where He was at that moment. He deeply absorbed Christ's sermons and immediately decided to be baptized. From that time on, he followed Jesus, was chosen by Him as one of the 70 apostles, and preached his first sermon during His lifetime. He was one of the few followers present at Christ's crucifixion. Such devotion allowed him to be among the first to see the Savior after the Resurrection. When he was walking to Emmaus with another apostle, Cleopas, he met the Savior on the road and had a conversation with Him. Luke was a participant in the second missionary journey of the Apostle Paul, after which they were almost inseparable until Paul's death. After his execution in Rome, Luke continued to preach — he traveled to Libya, Egypt, and Thebes. At the age of 84, he was captured in Thebes (Greece) and hanged. His relics are kept in Padua (Italy) in the basilica of Saint Justina. It is believed that Luke was the first creator of icons. He created a life portrait of the Mother of God. **The Meaning of the Holiday** The saint is honored for being able to create an important iconography for Christians, for writing the Gospel, and for proving through his entire life that one can perform the greatest deeds in the name of the Lord. **Folk Weather Signs** — Clouds in the evening — rainy days are ahead. — Snow in the morning — winter will not come soon and will be warm. — Birds fluffing up — a sign of rain. — Clouds moving from north to south — a sunny day is ahead. **What can be done on October 31, 2026** — It is customary to prepare something with onions. — A great day for fishing, as well as to cook something with fish. **What cannot be done on October 31, 2026** — Overeating is prohibited. — Cutting down trees, branches, or stripping bark from trees is not allowed. — Borrowing money or items is prohibited.