Why isn’t it common to celebrate a 40th birthday in Russia?

Perhaps no other number in Russian culture is shrouded in such a negative aura as 40. Popular belief says that one shouldn’t celebrate your 40th birthday – otherwise, there won't be a next one. But, why does this date seem so fateful?

The number 40 appears frequently in religious texts as the completion of a cycle of trials. For example, Moses led the Jews through the desert for 40 years. The Great Flood lasted 40 days, while Jesus fasted in the desert for the same amount of time. He also ascended to heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection. And, today, according to Orthodox tradition, the dead are remembered on the 40th day (such a day is called ‘sorokoviny’).

There is also a modern explanation: Forty years marks a certain boundary between youth and maturity. And, to avoid celebrating a midlife crisis, people choose not to hold festivities for this milestone. Or, instead, they celebrate "farewell to the 39th year".