How did you celebrate St. Barbara’s Day? Are you worried about your fate for the rest of the year?

“Yes, I believe St Barbara’s Day affects the year’s fate, and I don’t think of that as superstitious. I went to church in the morning with my little daughter, and asked St Barbara to protect my child.”
Marina, housewife, 36

“The whole family gathered together: my sons, my grandchildren and my daughters-in-law. I believe this day has the power to determine your fate for the next year, so everyone should try to only do good and kind things.”
Vakhtang, former lecturer, 68

“I didn’t have a chance to celebrate. But as for the fate question, that’s an old tradition. I’m not superstitious and can’t say I believe in it, but I’m still trying to spend the day in a good mood.”
Irakli, lawyer, 27

“It’s a tradition for our family, and probably in many Christian families, to gather together and go to church. I think that fate bit is just superstition, though.”
Tamuna, student 21

“My whole family is stepping carefully, we don’t want to doom ourselves for the next year. We baked lobiani and had fish for dinner. You need to do those things on St Barbara’s Day—it’s one of the biggest Christian celebrations of the year.”
Lali, housewife, 45

“This is a very holy day, and I did celebrate it. But sometimes I worry that the younger generation doesn’t know much about the day, or the saint, who was killed by her father [for being Christian].”
Nugo, businessman, 39

“On St Barbara’s Day, I usually go to church in the morning and then try to stay pleasant all day. I know that’s a superstition, but it’s also a tradition. I took a day off, and went shopping and baked lobiani with my mother.”
Maia, translator, 27

“The fate question has nothing to with St Barbara’s Day, which is a great holiday. I’ve never paid attention to whether the way I spent that day has an impact on the rest of the year.”
Lika, teacher, 28

“As is the tradition, I went to church, then came home, made lobiani and ate it with a glass of wine. As for the fate thing, that’s just a folk tradition, nothing else.”
Nino, psychologist, 37