Date according to the old calendar: July 26. On this day, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Saint Yermolay, one of the Nicomedia martyrs, along with Yermippus and Yermokrates. In the early 4th century, by the order of Emperor Maximilian, 20,000 Christians were burned in the Church of Nicomedia, but three men managed to escape. After that, they hid in remote areas of the empire but continued to teach those around them about the Christian faith. One day, a young pagan named Pantoleon (the future martyr Saint Pantaleon) passed by Yermolay’s house. Coming out to meet him, Yermolay began to explain the falsehood and vanity of pagan beliefs. From then on, Pantoleon began to visit Yermolay daily until the young man was exposed by the pagans. Subsequently, Yermolay, Yermippus, and Yermokrates were also captured. The three were offered the chance to renounce Christ and make a sacrifice to the idols, but they refused. The pagans threatened them with torture and death, but suddenly an earthquake began, and the idols in the temple fell and shattered. When Emperor Maximilian learned of this, he sentenced the martyrs to death. In Russia, Yermolay usually brought warm weather, so peasants hurried to finish the harvest. "Yermolay—gather the grain," they would say. Early apple picking began, though eating them was still forbidden until Apple Spas (a Russian Orthodox holiday). The first potatoes also ripened. They were often used to make okroshka (a cold soup) and vinaigrette, which were especially favored by peasants during the last hot days of summer. For example, vinaigrette was made with boiled potatoes, beets, white beans, and greens; everything was chopped, dressed with vegetable oil, and served either on its own or with boiled beef. Other types of vinaigrettes were also popular, such as hot vinaigrette with herring: the potatoes were mashed through a sieve, mixed with finely chopped herring and onions, sprinkled with breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. It was believed that on Yermolay "autumn mists walk over the grass, giving the herbs healing power." Or as knowledgeable people would say, "In the morning, the dewy coolness fills the leaves, washing away the dust, and by noon, a healing force is born in the grasses." On this day, healers would go into the forests and meadows to collect medicinal herbs. Name Days on this Day Yermolay, Ignatius, Moses, Praskovia, Sergey, Fyodor