The date of birth of Gaius Cylnius Maecenas is generally considered to be April 13, although even the year of his birth is not known for certain. This ancient Roman statesman lived in the first century BC and was a bosom friend of Emperor Augustus Octavian. So close that he could allow himself the exclamation: “Stop already, butcher!”, addressed to the monarch at the moment the latter showed particular cruelty. Octavian Augustus was famous for his impulsiveness and easily signed death sentences. Including people of art. Guy Tsilniy believed that all creative citizens needed special care and protection. Much later, such people will be called artists, that is, those involved in “art”, art. Even during his lifetime, poets, artists, sculptors, philosophers, and writers found a caring intercessor in Maecenas. The name of the figure has become a household name. At first, it was customary to call all those patrons and donors who direct their philanthropy to artists and help creative people as patrons of the arts. Later, this term began to be used to refer to philanthropists of a broader profile. Therefore, the founders of the non-state holiday chose April 13, the birthday of Guy Tsilnius Maecenas, as the Day of Maecenas and Philanthropist in Russia. If someone took up philanthropy in this aspect, it was out of an exceptionally noble impulse and on their own initiative, because it is impossible to force such donations. It is impossible to force someone to voluntarily give anything without expecting anything in return. This means that it is necessary to express gratitude for the gratuitousness. The celebration has been held since 2005, the main events take place in the State Hermitage, where Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s painting “Patron Presents the Liberal Arts to Emperor Augustus” is kept and exhibited. The painting is used as a symbolic background for the holiday, which calls for teaching society to express gratitude to donors and donors. The initiators of the founding of the date also include representatives of the Culture Committee in the government of St. Petersburg, as well as the editors of “Russian Maecenas,” an almanac of social partnership. Children must take part in the events. These are children from orphanages, boarding schools and shelters that are supported by charitable foundations. One of the traditions of the holiday, in addition to presenting memorable gifts, was the introduction of the Peacock clock, a mechanism with more than two centuries of history. It is necessary to clearly distinguish a philanthropist from a sponsor. If the first gives his property, time and energy selflessly, then the second does the same in exchange for advertising his goods or services. On Patron and Philanthropist Day, scientists and artists, government officials express gratitude only to those donors who donated their resources free of charge. This signifies gratitude for indifference, compassion and empathy, sensitivity and kindness, for that subtle essence, which, as L. Tolstoy put it, is an analogue of health, imperceptible and at the same time the key to success in any endeavor.

Rock and roll is the embodiment of free, incendiary music that fills with crazy drive. Having exploded the measured 50s with its appearance, it has long been considered a classic genre and is not inferior to other directions in terms of popularity and the strength of love of fans. World Rock and Roll Day is never officially recognized by the UN General Assembly. But this does not at all prevent fans of the genre from celebrating the next anniversary on April 13. Some of them will begin to celebrate on April 12, as controversy over the day rock and roll was born has not yet subsided. All the confusion about the dates stems from the first recorded rock 'n' roll masterpiece, a chart-topper ("Rock Around the Clock"). There is a version that American musician Bill Haley recorded the composition that changed the world of music late in the evening of April 12 (1954). According to other sources, this happened late at night, i.e. on the 13th. A year later, B. Haley's musical work became the accompaniment to the shocking film "School Jungle". The picture, exposing the rebellious behavior of youth, became the pedestal from which rock and roll began its victorious march across the planet. The new music easily overcame racial prejudices: even the most famous political figures of the time could not boast of this. Combining an irrepressible mixture of country and popular rhythm and blues, rock and roll melodies, full of lively energy, erased all boundaries and overcome all barriers in people's lives. And today rock and roll continues to gather like-minded people. Every year on the day of its celebration, nightclubs and entertainment venues around the world hold incendiary parties in rock and roll style. Stages of many large cities become places where thematic concerts are held. On them you can hear both outstanding compositions of past years and new items in the genre. From the speakers you can hear famous works by Elvis Presley and Bill Haley, unforgettable compositions by the groups “Nautilus Pompilius”, “Kino”, “Brigade S”, “Alice”. The celebration is often international in nature. You won’t surprise anyone with a performance on this day somewhere, for example, in California, by a musical group that flew in from Japan. In the same way, for example, Krasnoyarsk can become a stage for performers from Africa or Indonesia. It is noteworthy that, despite the gathering of a huge number of admirers near the stages, there are practically no conflicts. This is explained by the fact that the quintessence of rock and roll is freedom and love, which positively influence people regardless of age, nationality, or race. And it doesn’t matter at all what day this holiday will be celebrated. The main thing is that there is an opportunity to live for some time in the extraordinary and amazing rhythm of this music...

Thai Songkran is a holiday appointed by nature. The New Year comes in April along with the life-giving streams of the rainy season. For a whole decade, starting from the 13th, Thais celebrate the renewal of all living things, the retreat of the heat. It's time to sow the rice fields. Streams of water from heaven give hope for a rich harvest of the country's main product. In 1940, Thailand synchronized the calendar with the Gregorian calendar, taking January 1 as the beginning of the year, but Buddhist lunar months are still counted. Songkran is the most long-awaited holiday of harmony with the world, the triumph of the power of water - the juice of life. Since April 11, temples in Thailand have been resounding with prayers - khurals. Sacred texts help purify the soul, the sound of mantras and musical instruments penetrates the consciousness and scares away evil spirits. Then, before the New Year, Thais hold a ritual of burning opponents of Buddhism. Lamas - Buddhist priests - visit carefully cleaned dwellings and cleanse their inhabitants and the houses themselves from insidious demons. In the courtyards of temples, pyramids - chedis - are erected from sand. They symbolize the axis of the earth - Mount Meru. In Buddhist cosmology, under this mountain there is hell, above it there are tiers of the sky, and on the cardinal points there are earthly continents. According to old customs, Songkran is a day of showing love for neighbors and respect for family values. The morning of the New Year began with a visit to the temple. The monks were given homemade sweets in gratitude for their instructions. Returning home, the first thing they did was wash the Buddha statues in the home altar with fragrant water, pour water on the hands of elderly relatives, and give gifts to their elders. Then followed a ritual dinner, the leftovers of which, along with coins and unburned candles, were thrown out in a deserted place and they ran away without turning around, so as not to bring evil spirits into the house. To please the numerous tourists, the holiday became a noisy carnival. Water - a symbol of mutual blessing - is now poured not from bowls and special jugs for purification, but from plastic water guns and pumps. The pavements do not dry out for several days. Cars loaded with barrels of clean fresh water drive through the streets. Children and adults laugh, but politely, pour water on the backs and shoulders of those they meet. With shouts of "Happy New Year!" celebrants smear the cheeks of passers-by with white clay powder or colored talcum powder. These signs of divine favor cannot be wiped away. The talc should fall off on its own. A turtle released on Songkran is widely believed to give its savior bonus years to life. This is how the traditions of ancient Siam and modern Thailand are intertwined.

In St. Petersburg on March 26, 1902, a miracle transport appeared according to the old style. At first it was called a trackless tram, later - an electric bus. In honor of its launch, the trolleybus' birthday is celebrated on April 13. The founder of the Siemens Corporation, Werner von Siemens, invented steel armor for underground cables, the electric elevator and the direct current generator. The German engineer and his brother Karl came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a trolleybus. In 1892, a line was launched in Halensee, a suburb of Berlin, along which an open carriage driven by electricity plied. The first cars did not have rods; the current collection trolley rolled along the wires or moved by its own motor in front of the car. Initially, an open carriage with 2 motors was called an electric motor. Later, the English word trolleybus took root, literally translated as a tram bus. This is interesting: The invention of the tram belongs to staff captain Fyodor Apollonovich Pirotsky. He demonstrated in 1880 in St. Petersburg a double-decker carriage that moved using electricity. A year later, in 1881, Pirotsky’s idea was implemented by Werner von Siemens. His company began producing trams, the design of which was identical to Pirotsky’s brainchild. In March 1902, the Russian magazine Avtomobil published an article about testing a new type of transport, driven “by electrical energy received from wires along the track, but running not on rails, but on an ordinary road.” The mechanism (engine, chassis and electric lighting) for a crew weighing 50 pounds, equal to the current 819 kg, was developed by Count S. I. Schulenberg. The cabin was manufactured by P.A. Frese, who was engaged in the production of carriages and cars. The current transmission trolley was manufactured according to von Siemens' patent. The first trolleybus set off across St. Petersburg on April 13. The “electric bus” appeared in Moscow much later, in 1933. The first electric model was named LK-1 in honor of Stalin’s comrade-in-arms Lazar Kaganovich. Four factories were involved in the production of various parts of the trolleybus. From 1935 to 1953, double-decker “electrically driven trucks” began plying around Moscow. Model LK-1 had 36 seats, LK-3 - 50 people. The double-decker trolleybus could simultaneously transport 72 seated and 28 standing passengers. And although it could accelerate to 54 km/h, the speed near the stops near the carriage was low. This is interesting: “Crimeatrolleybus” is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as a company that uses vehicles for transportation that were produced in the 70s. XX century Double-decker trolleybuses of the YATB-3 model did not take root for a number of reasons. Their electric motors quickly overheated and failed, and the height of both cabins left much to be desired. On a bumpy road, the carriage began to sway violently; it was especially dangerous to travel in it on icy roads in the winter. Double-decker trolleybuses were replaced by accordion trolleybuses, the first prototypes of which were manufactured in 1959. The nominal capacity of SVAR-TS, produced by the carriage repair plant located in Sokolniki, is 224 passengers. In 1978, articulated trolleybuses began to be produced in Engels. From 1988 to 1992, the SVARZ-Ikarus model was produced, developed on the basis of vehicle kits for buses of the same name. This is interesting: The longest trolleybus route in the world runs along the Simferopol-Yalta highway. The length of the line, which was opened for traffic in 1959, is 96 km. On the first flights there were conductors who acted as tour guides while passing Crimean attractions. The rapid pace of development of science and technology, namely the emergence of electric buses, has led to a reduction in the number of trolleybus lines. The ancient mode of transport, nicknamed “horned,” finally disappeared from the streets of Moscow in August 2020. But residents of the capital and other Russian cities continue to treat it with respect, which is why they celebrate the birthday of the trolleybus on April 13 every year.

The diversity and beauty of the flora on our planet gives people aesthetic pleasure. Thanks to plants, the air is filled with oxygen, and the body receives the nutrients necessary for its existence. Trees and shrubs absorb formaldehyde, benzene and other volatile compounds that cause respiratory diseases, asthma and cancer. April 13 is International Plant Appreciation Day, calling for respect for plants and conservation of nature. International Plant Appreciation Day began to be celebrated at the beginning of the 21st century, when environmental pollution and destruction of flora and fauna by humans acquired gigantic proportions. Plants not only provide food for many types of herbivores, but also provide fiber, vitamins and minerals to the human body. Trees and shrubs are planted to create a certain microclimate in a specific area, reduce noise levels and prevent soil erosion. As is the case with any other link in the ecosystem, the disappearance of plants leads to disruption of biogeocenosis and the death of other species of wildlife. Trees, shrubs and flowers have a positive effect on a person's mental health. Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark conducted research confirming a direct connection between the greening of urban areas and the number of mental illnesses among residents of the locality. In areas with parks, gardens and squares, adults have a 55% lower risk of developing money disorder than those whose houses are surrounded not by plants, but by stone, asphalt and brick. An insufficient number of contacts with objects of the natural world leads to affective disorders and anxiety in children living in the city. Children from big cities, according to scientists, have a 2 times higher risk of developing schizophrenia than their rural peers. Scandinavians successfully practice the integration of existing natural environmental objects into the urban landscape - rivers, ponds and forests. In addition, people have long practiced sowing grass to create lawns and planting flowers in flower beds near multi-story buildings. Growing indoor plants in apartments is also one of the ways to get closer to living nature, of which humans are a part. International Plant Appreciation Day highlights the importance of trees, shrubs and grass to all life on Earth. A shady corner near an oasis in the desert, an element of landscape design to protect the area from the wind, a habitat for birds and animals of the Amazon forest - this and much more is provided by natural vegetation. Taking care of the environment should be everyone's business. This is what International Plant Appreciation Day calls us to do.

Mysterious and majestic India is truly one of the most amazing places on our planet. She is like a small world of bright colors. Countless attractions, magnificent landscapes and a sea of ​​sunshine can all be found here. India, an ancient state, is the birthplace of Buddhism and Hinduism, has a rich history and centuries-old traditions. Customs associated with holidays occupy a significant niche in Indian culture. We can safely say that the New Year in India is celebrated about five times and at different times of the year. This is due to the way of life of the residents and depends on their religion and the place where they live. In the north-west of India, the state of Punjab celebrates one of the most beloved and important Sikh festivals - Vaisakhi. This is a religious holiday and, at the same time, harvest day and New Year. Official events take place in Sikh temples and gurudwaras. On the day of Vaisakhi, the holy book of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib, is solemnly taken out in every temple and the main postulates are read from it. After visiting the temple, devotees eat a special dish called Kara Prasad. It is made from sweet flour and butter. Festive processions gather on the streets of cities. Thousands of people take part in the festive procession. People walk with posters, flowers, sing songs and dance. Everyone congratulates each other on the New Year. On this day, peasants traditionally dress in everything new. In the morning on this day, many people gather on the field. They perform the folk dances Bhangra and Gidh. Then farmers organize fairs filled with all kinds of treats and grand concerts. Temples and streets decorated with flowers, intricate dances, and national melodies heard everywhere create a whole kaleidoscope of bright festive emotions. The atmosphere of joy and love penetrates into everyone present. The celebration continues until late in the evening. Vaisakhi festival is very important for Sikhs. It reflects ancient traditions and customs, folk dances and songs. It erases all boundaries of social and national differences. It gives you the opportunity to touch the multifaceted culture of India and its people, which is not subject to the laws of modern society.

International holidays - International Functional Neurological Disorder Awareness Day

People celebrate Hypatius the Wonderworker (Fire) on April 13 (March 31 according to the old calendar style). The holiday is interconnected with the date of the church calendar - the day of honoring the memory of the holy martyr Hypatius of Gangra. Hypatius served as a bishop in the 3rd and 4th centuries in Gangri, in modern Turkey. He was a fighter against the Aryan heresy. One day, in a deserted area, he was surrounded by opponents of Christianity, they beat him with cobblestones and stabbed him with spears, after which they threw the martyr’s dead body into the swamp thickets. Good Christians found the saint and buried him in a Christian manner. The relics of Saint Hypatius had miraculous properties, for which he was nicknamed the Wonderworker. The people revered the saint as an assistant in the conception and birth of children. Infertile couples prayed to him, asking for a baby. If bleeding occurred during childbirth, then help was asked from Hypatius. They also turned to him for problems with breastfeeding. It was believed that on Hypatia the Wonderworker something wrong happened to the brownie. All year he was the first assistant in the household, protecting the home from harm, but on this day, even from the eve, the brownie began to rage and harm the owners. The peasants believed that he took milk from cows, drove horses away from the yard, bit dogs on the sides, hid or scattered things, and sometimes threw himself at the owners’ feet. To protect themselves from the machinations of the brownie and other evil spirits, residents locked their houses and barns and did not go near the windows. At all exits from housing, the cross of God was drawn, and any strange action was crossed with a hand. During the day, we tried to go out into the yard as little as possible and did not let the cattle out for a walk. The day of Hypatia was also called Fire. Its origins came from the period when peasants fought with the forest for land for arable land. To get it, residents cut down part of the forest, and a year later they set it on fire. The burned out place was called the Fire. That is why appropriate rituals were performed on this day. The owners took burning coals out of the stove and lit a fire in the garden with them. All equipment that helped cultivate the field was carried through the cleansing fire. A sick person was brought to the fire, believing that the fire would help in recovery. The ashes from the fire were blown by the wind throughout the garden; it was believed that it helped prevent fungal diseases in crops. Signs on Hypatia the Wonderworker indicated what the weather would be like. If you saw barely visible clouds, prepare for rain. A clear day promised the arrival of real warmth. Flocks of migratory birds heralded a fine spring, and if they did not chirp as before, they were preparing for a cold snap.

Life without holidays can turn into a gray mass of monotonous everyday life that can only cause melancholy and depression. We need holidays as a kind of outlet that allows us not only to remember and honor this or that event, but also to gain positive emotions and strength. For some reason, it is generally accepted that in our country there are too many such significant days, and their number prevents Russians from focusing not on relaxation, but on work achievements. In fact, this statement is not true, since there are enough countries in the world that can celebrate all kinds of events more widely and pompously. Among such leaders we can safely include residents of Egypt, China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Morocco. The Russians are far from first on this list, although they could compete with the leaders. After all, with us, any reason, even the most insignificant, can become a reason for wild fun. Our calendars are full of holidays, not only domestic ones, but also borrowed ones. Among them you can find International Pirate Day, Japanese Nude Festival, Zombie March, and World Left-Handed Day. Such a variety of significant events can turn the head of any lover of a good rest and fun. And all this, of course, is great, but it still needs some kind of systematization, ordering, separating the most important from the secondary and not the most necessary. Such a regulator, which does not cause mass rejection, is the state, which has the right to determine what is most significant for it and its benefit. It is it that is endowed with the authority not only to establish holidays, but also to protect through them its identity, individuality and historical justice. It is very important to remember here that the semantic load carried by this or that event associated with an officially established holiday performs not only a unifying, but also an educational function. Public holidays are designed to preserve the history of the country in order to pass it on intact to future generations. An important feature of these holidays established by the executive branch is their nationwide recognition. The basis for such deep reverence for established traditions is based on historical, religious, military and professional achievements that radically influenced the fate of the country. All these categories of holidays reflect the most important milestones in Russian history and they are all closely related to each other. Religious holidays are associated not only with the history and culture of Russia, but also with such important concepts as honor, courage, patriotism, self-sacrifice, mutual assistance and mercy. If we talk about professional holidays, they are a sign of recognition of the merits of outstanding workers in all fields of activity who have completely devoted themselves to their favorite work. Many dates in our calendar are dedicated to memorable events associated with key historical events in the life of the people and the state. A special place here is occupied by the Victory Days of Russia, established to commemorate the great victories of Russian soldiers who defended their Motherland from numerous enemies and ill-wishers. The Labor Code of the Russian Federation speaks of eight public holidays and 12 days off associated with them. In addition to these holidays, which are certainly beloved and expected by everyone, there are a large number of special days and events dedicated to workers in agriculture, medicine, various industries, authorities, the media, and artists. Each day of our calendar has its own dedication, addressed not only to a specific representative of any profession or field of activity, but also to all of us, citizens of the great Russia.

Orthodox holidays on April 13:

Memorial Day of Hieromartyr Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra

Memorial Day of St. Jonah, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Rus'

Lent before Easter consists of forty-eight days. Its first part lasts until Palm Sunday and is called the Holy Quentarian Day, meaning forty days. The week (seven-day week) begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday. There are 7 parental Saturdays a year, but during the Great Easter Lent there are 3 of them. These are the Saturdays of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th weeks. The significance of these days lies in remembering ancestors. They are called parental to refer to parents and previous generations. On such Saturdays they remember the rest of their deceased relatives. In Orthodoxy, it is customary to honor and love loved ones, both living and those who have gone to the Almighty. Christ Himself commanded everyone to love each other. From Monday to Friday in Lent it is not possible to hold funeral services, magpies and other funeral services dedicated to the deceased. In order to express memory and love to them, prayer singing is held in holy houses on parental Saturdays, which is necessary to remember those who have left our world. Sometimes a person leaves the world by accidental death. For example, in a car accident or fire, then he does not have time to confess before his death and ask for forgiveness from his loved ones. If this is not done, his soul will suffer in the afterlife. And so that a loving relative does not worry about the soul of the deceased, special parental days have been created for the liturgy. Sometimes it happens that a servant of God is not able to fight the difficulties of life. Having taken a step towards suicide, he gives birth to the gravest sin. The temple servant is no longer able to help the unfortunate man - he cannot be prayed for, since only personal confession will help him forgive his sins. But a suicidal sinner has relatives who find it painful to think about his soul. For such death row prisoners, you can also order a memorial service on one of your parents’ Saturdays. At services on the 3 above-mentioned Saturdays, with the help of prayer they ask the Creator for the repose of the soul of the deceased. Before the prayer service, the priest of the temple is given a paper with names (after baptism). It is important for the person requesting the prayer funeral to attend the service, light a candle, and then pray with the household for the deceased ancestors. It is advisable to visit the burial place of a deceased relative. Thanks to such prayers, the living make it easier for the dead to remain in the next world.