Date in the old style: May 4 On this day, the Orthodox Church honors the martyr Pelagia of Tarsus. According to her hagiography, she was born in the 3rd century in Asia Minor, into a noble pagan family. The girl was very beautiful and well-educated, so Emperor Diocletian decided to marry her to his heir. However, Pelagia was baptized and refused to marry the emperor's adopted son. Diocletian summoned the girl to him, and seeing her beauty, he wanted to make her his own wife. Pelagia refused the emperor, for which she paid with her life. In Russia, Saint Pelagia (Pelageya) was always considered the protectress of innocent girls, as well as all those who were unjustly wronged. Additionally, she was the patroness of birds. In the evening on Pelagia's day, experienced gardeners performed a ritual to protect their crops from evil forces and various pests. For this, a cracked pot was taken to the garden, nettles with roots were placed in it, and the pot was turned upside down in the middle of the central garden bed. It was believed that any evil force, touching the stinging nettle, would be frightened and flee from the garden. Saint Pelagia's day was also known as the day of the baklushniki. At this time, trees were cut down for making spoons and preparing billets — baklushas. Name Days on this Day: Ivan, Isaakiy, Kirill, Kliment, Leontiy, Maria, Nikita, Nikifor, Nikolay, Pelageya