Tatiana's Day: history, traditions and superstitions of the main student holiday

      Tatiana's Day is celebrated annually in Russia on January 25. The date has two meanings at once: in the church calendar it is the feast day of Saint Tatiana of Rome, and in secular tradition it is Student's Day.

      How did the holiday originate?

      The history of the holiday goes back to the 18th century. On January 25, 1755, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna signed the decree “On the Establishment in Moscow of One University and Two Gymnasiums.” The project to open Moscow University was promoted by the scholar Mikhail Lomonosov and the statesman Ivan Shuvalov. According to one version, the date was chosen in honor of the name day of Shuvalov’s mother, Tatiana.

      In 1791 a church in the name of the martyr Tatiana was consecrated at Moscow University, after which the saint came to be regarded as the patroness of students and scholars. In 1850 Emperor Nicholas I designated January 25 as the day of all the country’s higher educational institutions, and the holiday became nationwide.

      After the Revolution the tradition was lost: in Soviet times the holiday was attempted to be renamed the Day of Proletarian Students, but it did not take root and disappeared from the calendar. The revival of Tatiana's Day began in 1992 at the initiative of the rector of Moscow State University, Viktor Sadovnichy, and in 2005, by decree of the President of Russia, the holiday received official status and became known as Russian Students' Day.

      Today Tatiana's Day is celebrated across the country. Universities hold ceremonial events, award ceremonies, student balls, concerts and festivals.

      Signs and traditions

      Many student superstitions are associated with the holiday. One of the best known is to go to the window with an open student record book and shout three times, “Freebie, come!” It is believed that this brings good luck on exams. Also, on January 25 it is not recommended to take out the trash so as not to “sweep away knowledge,” and before exams students rub city sculptures for luck — for example, the dog at the Ploshchad Revolyutsii metro station in Moscow.

      There are also folk omens related to the weather. If it snows on Tatiana's Day, the summer will be rainy; frost promises a good harvest; and a clear sun foretells an early spring. A starry sky on the night of January 25 is also considered a sign of an imminent thaw.

      On Tatiana's Day it is customary to avoid quarrels, heavy physical labor and gloom. It is considered bad luck to study on this day, and according to folk beliefs, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to conflicts and troubles.

      Traditionally on January 25 students, teachers and all women named Tatiana are congratulated. In 2026 the holiday falls on a Sunday.