Month of Festivals, Traditions and Taste

August 2025—the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar, and one of the seven months with 31 days. This year, August not only marks the end of summer but also includes one of the most important festivals of the year for the Eastern Orthodox Church!

🌙 August 2025 Lunar Phases—Updated!

At the beginning of August 2025, the Sun is in Leo, and at the end, it is in Virgo. Astronomically speaking, at the beginning of August, the Sun is in Cancer, and at the end, it is in Leo.

Moon phases for August 2025:

• • August 1st — Moon in first quadrature (12:41)

• • August 9th — Sturgeon Moon – Full Moon (07:55) – Pike Moon

• • August 16th — Moon in last place

• • August 24th — New Moon (Moon begins to wax)

🌟 Special Event: Sturgeon Moon 2025

The month of August 9, 2025 is called «Sturgeon Moon» (Pike Moon) – a Native American tradition marking the time when pike were easier to catch in the Great Lakes. In Romania, this full moon coincides with Fasting of the Assumption of the Mother of God and with the traditions linked to the wheat harvest.

☀️ The sun and the late summer days

The Sun in August 2025:

• • At the beginning of the month: sunrise at 06:03, sunset at 20:39

• • End of month: sunrise at 6.42am, sunset at 7.52pm

• • The days are getting noticeably shorter: we are preparing for autumn!

🏛️ History and Traditions of August

This is the origin of the name August: it comes from Octavian Augustus, the first Roman emperor, who named the month after himself in 8 BC. Before that, August was called «Sextile» in Latin because it was the sixth month of the Roman calendar.

The Greeks called August «Metageitonion,» meaning a month of neighborly harmony and unity, a time for preparing for autumn.

In Romania, August is usually called «As,» a very fitting name, as people enjoy the fruits of their year’s hard work in this month!

🌾 Romanian traditions from August – Month of Taste

August 2025 brings us:

• • Harvesting of wheat and corn – the culmination of agricultural work

• • Preparing for winter – canned food and supplies

• • Traditions related to the Sturgeon Moon – moment of thanks and gratitude

• • The days of Gustarului – when you taste the fruits of the earth

⛪ Orthodox holidays with the Red Cross

August 2025 – Three major Red Cross holidays:

🌟 August 6 – Transfiguration of the Lord (Măceșul)

• • The first big party of the month

• • Traditionally the new fruits are consecrated

• • The day when grapes and apples are brought to church

🌹 15 August – Dormition of the Mother of God (Santa Maria Maggiore)

• • The most important Marian feast

• • Preceded by the fast of the Assumption (1-14 August)

• • The day when flowers and herbs are sanctified

⚔️ August 29 – Beheading of Saint John the Baptist

• • Black fasting day

• • Traditions related to crop protection

• • On this day nothing round is eaten

🔥 August 2025 – The month of the summer finale

August begins on the same weekday as May each year and in leap years as February. August begins in 2025 Friday – the perfect day to end the summer in style!

Curiosities 2025: This August coincides with «End of summer sales» and preparation for «Back to School» – when prices melt for the last time before autumn! 🎒

🌙 Advice for the Sturgeon Moon of August 9, 2025

The Full Moon on August 9th is the perfect time to:

🙏 Thanksgiving for the fruits of the year
🌾 Celebrate harvest and abundance
💫 Meditation under the light of the full moon
🔥 Spiritual preparation for autumn
📝 Planning for the new school year