Not every flower that first appears in thawed patches, when the snow cover has not yet melted, can be called a snowdrop. Although this is exactly what happens: for example, residents of Kazakhstan call crocuses this way, and residents of Nizhny Novgorod call open anemone (Pulsatilla patens). Neither one nor the other plant is related to the true Galanthus, which is the correct name for the plant whose day is celebrated on April 19th. The founders of the holiday were the British, for whom this primrose symbolizes not only a sign of the coming spring, but also protection from evil spirits, dark magic and other types of destructive divination. Therefore, the inhabitants of Foggy Albion treat “snow drops” (the literal translation of the name of the flower from English, “snowdrop”) with much more tenderness than prim roses, frivolous tulips or even cheerful bells. The flowers of this amazing plant are incredibly tenacious until they are cut off. “Snow Drop” can withstand frosts down to -10°C. No other flower survives such stressful temperatures, and the snowdrop simply thaws from its completely frozen state and continues to bloom. In order to avoid becoming prey for particularly hungry rodents after winter, galanthus bulbs became poisonous in the process of evolution. The low growth of the stem allows it to withstand strong gusts of wind in early spring. But as soon as a snowdrop is cut, it immediately withers, droops, does not last long in vases and quickly loses its elegant appearance. Therefore, in England it is customary to plant galanthus abundantly in city flower beds, around private cottages and on the balconies of apartment buildings. So these flowers perform both protective and aesthetic functions more effectively. And since on average flowering occurs in early to mid-April, the Snowdrop Day holiday was timed to coincide with April 19, the day on which the buds are most likely to bloom. There are many legends associated with snowdrops. According to biblical legend, this flower was the first one Adam and Eve encountered on earth. The tears of the first woman were turned into galanthus; in other translations, the snowflakes on which she had to walk. In any case, the flower showed a symbol of hope, opening from under the snow, brightening up Eve’s despair and her longing for the ever-blooming Garden of Eden. The real kingdom of snowdrops is Welford Park, which is located in Berkshire. The park is located on the territory of an ancient estate, the owners of which organize entry to their property strictly during the flowering period of the fields. The history of their cultivation in this place dates back to the 14th century, when the monks of Abingdon Abbey began to grow flowers for medicinal and aesthetic purposes. A potion was made from the bulbs to help fight headaches (the plant is currently used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease), and the feast of the Presentation of the Lord was decorated with flowers. Since we are talking about the warm south-east of England, snowdrops bloom here earlier, but Snowdrop Day is also celebrated in April.

Today, a book in our world is that part of an obligatory human life that everyone has. It allows you to learn something new, develop your own imagination, travel to other worlds, learn sciences or languages. It's hard to imagine that 500 years ago there were no printed books at all. The first printed book that appeared on the territory of modern Russia was the book “Apostle,” which was published in 1563 by Ivan Fedorov, the man who was the first to print books in Russia. It happened on April 19 and since then, this day is rightfully considered the symbolic day of Russian printing. True, they began to celebrate it on the territory of the modern Russian state relatively recently - since 2014. Today, printed books are in every home - now thousands of people from dozens of different professions work on them. Writers, artists, designers, layout designers, editors, engineers, managers, and so on are involved in the production of a book. The printing industry has united millions of creative, gifted people across the country under its leadership. Of course, Russian Printing Day does not go unnoticed. It must be said that the printing industry today has expanded its horizons and now includes not only book printing. Calendars, newspapers, magazines, business cards, photographs, packaging products and much more that need to be developed, drawn, designed, thought out, printed and presented to the public is a fairly extensive and exciting activity. So, on April 19, many people celebrate their professional holiday. On this day, publishing houses and printing houses organize local corporate events for their staff, and also organize mass events for printing workers on a national scale. It should be understood that the development of printing in Russia is of a cultural nature, society is developing, getting acquainted with printed products of various kinds, so in the era of computerization, the development of social networks and the transfer of the information component to the Internet, printing still does not lag behind and remains a competitive industry development, cultural component of Russian citizens.

Studying food packaging in a store or supermarket allows you to learn about its composition and calorie content. Many people ignore the information on labels, which negatively affects their health. Eating empty carbohydrates leads to obesity, allergens lead to urticaria, angioedema and other negative reactions, preservatives and harmful additives lead to cancer. Americans Thomas and Ruth Roy decided to draw public attention to the need to study the composition of food products and came up with an unusual celebration. April 19th is Label Reader's Day. The packaging of a cookie or the wrapper of a chocolate bar contains a lot of useful information. It indicates the shelf life of the product, requirements for its storage conditions and other information that is important for the consumer. Thus, for people with nut allergies, after the list of ingredients it is indicated that the cake or frosted cheese may contain a small amount of foreign raw materials due to the fact that the factory produces products with peanuts. The rapid development of the chemical industry has led to the creation of additives marked with the letter "E". Among them there are both natural dyes, stabilizers and emulsifiers, which improve the appearance of products and are practically harmless, as well as substances that are dangerous in large doses. Such additives include a taste sweetener (cyclamate), a preservative formaldehyde (E240), propyl ester of para-oxmbenzoic acid (E216), etc. A responsible person who cares about the health of his and his family members will definitely read the label on sausage, cookies or a carbonated drink and draw the appropriate conclusion about the benefits of the product. The Committee on Food Additives was created under the WHO in 1956, and the European Food Safety Authority - in February 2002. These organizations monitor the composition of semi-finished products and other food produced on an industrial scale, confirming the harmlessness of preservatives, dyes, and sweeteners to the body. and other substances. Thus, palm oil, rich in vitamins A, E and Q10, has a melting point higher than human body temperature. Therefore, its addition is quite justified in animal feed, whose body melts and absorbs this plant product well, but is harmful to humans. The modern environmental agenda brings to the forefront the problem of reducing the consumption of meat and other products of animal and plant origin through the inclusion of additives based on larvae and chitin of crustaceans and insects in food. Not all consumers are ready to switch to sausages, milk and baked goods with ground-up cockroaches, flies, locust and shrimp shells. Moreover, until recently, there was no study of the effects of long-term consumption of insects on the human body. An allergy sufferer or a buyer who is wary of various innovations should carefully study the product packaging. Thus, the presence of shellac additive (a processed resin secreted by aphid-like lac bugs) is indicated by the E904 marking. The presence of dried cricket flour in cookies, spaghetti and sports nutrition is indicated by the warning printed on the label: “Contains entomoprotein.” Spouses Thomas and Ruth Roy came up with a lot of funny and sometimes ridiculous holidays. These include No Housework Day, New Meow Year for Cats, and Bathroom Party Day. For the Label Reader's Day, this American couple is sincerely thanked by everyone who cares about the quality of the food they eat and adheres to the rules of a healthy diet.

As humanity developed, people acquired knowledge about the world around them, developing science, technology and creating works of art. A by-product of civilization was the development of synthetic drugs. One of them, LSD, a chemical from the lysergamide family, was first tested by Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman on April 19, 1943. The drug was based on ergot, a fungus that parasitizes cereals. Lysergic acid was synthesized from it. Hoffman, who used 250 mcg of the drug for research purposes, went home from the laboratory on a bicycle under the supervision of an assistant. During the trip, the scientist experienced a psychedelic effect, dizziness and anxiety from taking LSD. Driving at high speed felt very slow to Hoffman. It seemed that the cobblestones on the pavement were crawling in all directions like beetles. The houses and other objects around began to remind the chemist of paintings by Salvador Dali. His experience of a bad trip, a negative psychedelic experience, became the reason for the emergence of the common expression “Bicycle Day”. The scientist who arrived home was in a state of delirium, which was recorded by the arriving doctor called by the assistant. The feeling of anxiety was replaced by multi-colored hallucinogenic paintings in the form of geometric shapes. The sounds of the surrounding world were perceived by Hoffman in the form of optical images. The next morning, the scientist's sensory sensitivity was still strong, although he felt very tired. American psychiatrist Cindy Cohen spoke about the impressions of the creator of LSD on Bicycle Day in her book The beyond within: The LSD story. The popularization of synthetic drugs in the United States coincided with the heyday of the era of hippies and beatniks - representatives of the generation of artistic bohemians of the 50s and 60s. XX century The new social groups created and their lifestyle sucked in many young Americans, leaving the older generation in a helpless position. Marijuana and LSD did not just provide “flower children” with pleasure like alcohol, but changed consciousness, having a destructive effect on the brain and central nervous system. From Switzerland, the fashion for using synthetic lysergic acid produced by the SANDOZ company was brought to the United States by the then popular science fiction writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley. Thanks to advertising by rock musicians and other cultural figures, the drug plague caused by the use and addiction to psychedelics has swept the entire world. Representatives of authorities and public organizations in many countries of the world have been fighting the negative consequences of the invention of LSD-25 and its spread for decades. After testing the synthesized ergot alkaloids on April 19, 1943, Hoffman's laboratory began sending samples to foreign colleagues, indicating that the substance temporarily caused schizophrenia. Perhaps the Swiss chemist, like Andrei Sakharov, who invented the atomic bomb, did not think that the results of his scientific work would harm humanity. But it happened. Suicide and LSD overdose kill thousands of people around the world every year. Bicycle Day reminds us of the tragedy of lost lives and everyone's personal responsibility for their actions.

Humor saves people from despondency in the most hopeless situations. It’s not for nothing that laughter is considered the cure for all diseases. Jokes and self-irony help to see the bright side of life, which is present even when dark clouds have gathered over a person. Watching comedies, humorous programs and performances by stand-up comedians, retelling jokes or funny incidents are timed to coincide with an unusual holiday - Joke Day, which is celebrated on April 19. When a person laughs, he relieves physical tension from the muscles of the whole body. Laughter improves the health of the cardiovascular system and lowers blood pressure, helping the body produce endorphins. These chemical compounds are natural analgesics that reduce pain and improve mood. In addition, laughter causes the production of oxytocin, a hormone that helps reduce anxiety and stress. Laughter and fun strengthen the immune system, making a person immune to disease. A funny holiday - Joking Day - is designed to launch these and other positive processes in the body. According to one version, Humorous Day owes its appearance to the director of the Institute of Humor, Carmelo Larry Wild, who declared April the month of humor in 1976. It begins with the famous April Fools' Day, during which it is customary to laugh and prank relatives, friends and acquaintances. It is celebrated in many countries of the world, including Russia. And on April 19, Joking Day is celebrated - an excellent occasion to show your wit: come up with a couple of puns or tell jokes to loved ones. Poor souls who have no sense of humor should not despair, as they can learn it. German Eva Ullmann, who opened an unusual university in Leipzig in 2005, is convinced of this. The Institute of Humor encourages people to become more relaxed and learn to laugh at themselves. His students become more at ease when interacting with each other, introducing themselves and talking about their areas of expertise in a humorous manner. Seminars and role-playing games are held in groups of 17 people, in which participants develop a useful sense of humor. The only disadvantage of frequent laughter is the expression wrinkles that appear in the corners of the lips and eyes. But it is from them, like from a map, that one can “read” a person, concluding that he is always ready to enjoy life and is inclined to optimism. A sense of humor helps interlocutors create a relaxed atmosphere during communication, make it easier to perceive critical remarks, and respond more quickly to emergency situations in their personal lives and at work. Get into the healthy habit of celebrating April 19 and Joke Day every year - bring a touch of joy and fun into your life, getting in a positive mood!

In the twenties of the twentieth century, on the territory of the young Soviet state, metal waste was called upon to be collected under the motto “Scrap metal is additional tons of metal for the great construction projects of communism.” Housewives were stimulated with a more everyday promise: “We will reforge old basins into new vases.” On April 19, 1922, several departments decided on an agreement, which resulted in the formation of the Metallogtor association. Nowadays, this date is celebrated by enterprises and employees involved in scrap processing as a professional holiday, although officially the Day of the Russian Scrap Processing Industry Worker is not included in the calendar of special dates. Returning to the history of the establishment of an organization that coordinated the collection, disposal, processing and sale of metal waste, it is necessary to talk about the formation of a centralized system. The All-Union Association “Soyuzvtorchermet” organized under its auspices numerous “Vtormets” located throughout the country. For many years, these scrap metal collection points were known to all Soviet pioneers and Komsomol members, who were obliged to hand over scrap in certain quantities. But the main source of raw materials was not pioneer or trade union standards. The planned economy assumed planned disposal. Outdated equipment, machine tools, vehicle bodies, building structures, cables, shavings - all this was sent to Vtormet, where it was sorted, cleaned, crushed and put back into use. The system was so effective that the industry achieved high performance levels by the mid-eighties. In the 90s, it fell into decline, like many neighboring areas. Therefore, the more important it is to draw attention to the industry, the more important the holiday is. After all, the facilities of modern production are either located in the territories of old factories, or are equipped with battered equipment, or both. In all cases, regular updating and recycling of everything that contains metal inclusions is required. This is especially true for the chemical industry, whose weapons are exposed to aggressive influences of various environments (alkalies, acids). Therefore, the main production is subject to significant wear and tear and, as a result, needs to be re-equipped. As a result, a large amount of metal scrap is formed. A scrap recycling specialist is a worker who understands the division of metal waste into groups and knows the technology of cleaning, processing, and further use of waste. Non-ferrous and ferrous metals are divided into a large number of categories, each of which requires a different approach. A professional who helps clean up the environment from scrap metal in favor of its efficient use deserves respect, is in demand and rightfully deserves an official professional holiday. It helps reduce metal mining costs and reduce stress on depleted deposits.

April 19 is the Day of Legal Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. A lawyer is a necessary profession of our time. It requires deep knowledge of the laws of the country and quite a wealth of professional experience. Legal Service Day of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs is celebrated by all legal service workers in the Russian Federation. This is a professional day for those involved in improving the culture and knowledge of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the field of law, participating in the protection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system and its interests in the courts, modifying and improving judicial work, and developing international legal relations. These are lawyers working both at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and those who work in educational organizations of higher professional education of the internal troops. Initially, the Legal Service Day of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs was July 19. It was introduced in 2003 by Boris Vyacheslavovich Gryzlov, who at that time was the Minister of Internal Affairs of Russia. The main motive and objectives of the holiday: to increase the role and improve the functionality of this unit of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. This is stated and approved in order No. 785 of October 13, 2003 “On the celebration of the Legal Service Day of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.” Although the prerequisites for this holiday were laid back in 1964, when the Legal Department was organized and registered as a component of the central apparatus of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. She reported directly to the Minister. Its functions were: 1) monitoring the legality of legal acts issued in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR 2) advising department employees in the legal field. On January 9, 2018, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation signed an order “On establishing a memorable date for the formation of the legal service in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation” No. 3. According to this order, the historical start date for the legal service was April 19, 1782 (April 8, old style) - the day when Empress Catherine II approved the Deanery or Police Charter, which actually formed a new branch of law - police law. In turn, this was the beginning of legal activity in the Russian police. This day is especially important for employees of the legal service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, because it has traditionally become the Day of summing up results, awards, letters of gratitude and certificates, memorable gifts, receiving ranks out of turn, both military and special. This is both an incentive for further professional growth and an opportunity to evaluate your efforts over the year. This day is not considered a holiday, except in years in which these days fall on calendar weekends. But getting together as a team in a festive atmosphere is already both an event and an opportunity to relax.

The Crimean Khanate was already part of Russia in the 18th century, receiving the name “Tavrida” according to the manifesto of Catherine II. The Empress signed the document on April 19, 1783.

Holidays of Russia - Day of formation of the employment service of the Russian Federation

On April 19 (April 6, old style), according to the folk calendar, Eutychius the Quiet and Erema Proletny is celebrated. The name of the national day is interconnected with the names of two saints - Archbishop Eutychius of Constantinople and the martyr Jeremiah, whose memory is revered by Orthodox believers on this date. Eutyches' life took place in the 6th century. In his youth he received a good education, but at his own request he took monastic vows. Years later, the monk was made abbot of all the monasteries in Amasya, and later given the duties of patriarch. For disagreements with the Main Church at the Fifth Ecumenical Council, Eutyches was exiled from Constantinople to a monastery, but 12 years later he was returned back to the rank of archbishop. The Lord gave Saint Eutyches the gift of prediction and the ability to cure serious illnesses. The story of the martyr Jeremiah is little known. He lived in Palestine in the 3rd century and believed in Jesus Christ. During the period of persecution of Christians, when the pagans forced them to sacrifice to idols and forced them to renounce other religions, Jeremiah was martyred. The people called Eutykhios the Quiet One, and Yerema (Jeremiah) the Flying One. Such nicknames were associated with the sign of a given day. If the weather was fine and calm during the day, it means that a rich grain harvest was expected in the summer. But the passing wind did not promise anything good, only broken ears and grains scattered in the field. On this date, it was customary to pray to Saint Eutyches for the health and well-being of relatives. Unmarried girls performed fortune telling for their future spouse. The flowers on the apple trees were just blooming, so the unmarried brides were in a hurry to pick a flower and bring it to the temple faster than other girls. They believed that the first girl would receive a reward from above and would marry out of mutual love. Such fortune telling did not happen without reason. The apple tree was popularly compared to a dressed up bride; it was a symbol of fertility and love. Even at the matchmaking ceremony, the future bride was offered an apple, and her acceptance of the fruit meant consent to the marriage. On the day of Eutyches and Erema, the owners expressed care for the apple tree: they whitened the trunks to protect them from harmful insects, and propped up the branches with sticks to withstand the weight of the fruit. Residents also observed the signs of the day. The close nesting of ducks near the pond foreshadowed a summer with rare rains. The lowering of the fog meant sunny weather until the next month. If the flocks of migratory birds fell silent, the peasants were preparing for cold weather.

Every year on April 19, the people of Cuba celebrate the anniversary of the victory in Playa Giron, which is associated with the historical events of the 61st year of the last century. After the triumph of the revolutionaries in the period 53-59, America used all its capabilities to suppress the first socialist uprising in the Western Hemisphere. On April 15, 1961, airliners with Cuban insignia and American army pilots began a powerful bombing raid on several Cuban airports. As we later found out, this was nothing more than artillery preparation. The next day, during the funeral of the murdered residents, Fidel Castro made a message where he called the revolution organized by him and his like-minded people socialist. On the same day, American paratroopers landed on the territory of Playa Giron, tasked with overthrowing Fidel's government. And a few hours later, the main US Army arrived - a brigade specially assembled for this operation, consisting of 1,500 professionals: several infantry battalions, an artillery division, airborne and tank detachments, and special forces units. The brigade included mercenary military personnel, mainly emigrants from Cuba, who were at one time recruited by the American CIA. Subsequently, they received good military training and were sent to Playa Giron to suppress the uprising. In parallel with this, the landing force landed 33 km from Playa Giron, in the town of Playa Larga. The attack took place under the cover of American aircraft and ships. It would seem that the invaders' successful plan failed due to the decisive rebuff of the revolutionaries under the leadership of Castro. Of the nearly 1,400 people who landed on the coast of the Bay of Cochinos, about 1,200 were captured, and all the rest died. On April 19, in a total of three days, the brigade of counter-revolutionaries was completely destroyed. Long conversations about the further fate of the prisoners, whom it was initially decided to exchange for construction equipment. The negotiations ended with the supply of food and medicine to Liberty Island for a total amount of $53 million. During the events described above, America suffered serious political damage, falling into complete isolation on the world stage, and the Republic of Cuba finally chose a socialist development regime. Fidel Castro noted that the battle of Playa Giron prevented history from returning to the old days, and became a real salvation for the revolution. The battle, which ended in victory for the rebels, was written into the history of the country under the name of the landing at the Bay of Pigs. In 2001, during a festive ceremony, Castro said that the armed conflict in Playa Giron was the most striking and memorable event in the life of Cubans. Every year on April 19, mass events are held throughout the Republic. There are demonstrations in big cities. Ceremonies are held in Playa Giron in memory of soldiers who died during military operations. Fresh flowers and wreaths are laid at the monuments. Cubans themselves consider this date to be a day of pride for their nation. After all, the residents clearly demonstrated their unity and power to the entire international society, once again “outdoing” the American imperialists.

Kamada Ekadashi is not just a spiritual holiday, but according to Hindu beliefs, one of the special fasts is the strongest and purest. The date is calculated according to the Vaishnava calendar, which indicates not only the day of the year when Kamada Ekadashi is celebrated, but also the exact time of entry and exit from the fast (individually for different time zones). The Kamada Ekadashi fast is observed annually in the lunar month of Chaitra (March-April) on the 11th lunar day (waxing Moon). Ekadashi is the goddess of the lunar day, one of the manifestations of the god Vishnu, and the literal translation of the word “Kamada” from Sanskrit is the fulfillment of all desires. According to Vedic traditions, following all the instructions on this day will help you gain the favor of Lord Vishnu, who will remove all sins and help you achieve your plans. This day is very important for couples who dream of becoming parents. This is not surprising, because the basis is the love story of a beautiful married couple living in the city of Ratnapura. The ruler was a king named Pundarika, whose subjects were the male singer Lalit and his beautiful wife Lalita. They loved each other so much that they could not bear even a little separation. Once Lalit performed in the king's palace without his wife, he was sad about separation from her and Pundarika did not like his imperfect performance. The king became angry and cursed the man, turning him into a demon. His lover was in deep despair. One day, while wandering in the forest, she came to the sacred temple of the sage Shringa. Lalita asked for instructions, following which she could return to her husband’s true appearance. The great sage Shringi took pity on her and told her about observing Ekadashi, with the help of which all desires can be fulfilled. Lalita strictly followed all the instructions and her demon husband was able to take on human form so that they could live a long and happy life. For this power, Kamada Ekadashi has become a special, important day in Hindu traditions - a way of repentance, purification, and spiritual advancement. On this day you should talk less and avoid unnecessary contact with other people. It is necessary to read scriptures, make offerings to Vishnu, light candles and incense. There is a strong restriction in food intake; it is better to completely refuse food and water on this day (traditional Indian approach). But the most important thing is not just not to eat, but to keep your mind and body calm and clean throughout the fast. This date is celebrated not only in India, but is widespread among fans of yoga and those interested in spiritual practices, because compliance with all the conditions of Kamada Ekadashi opens a person’s path to complete enlightenment.

Orthodox holidays on April 19:

Memorial Day of Venerable Platonida of Sira

Eutyches was born in 512 in Phrygia in western Asia Minor (in modern Turkey). His parents - the warrior Alexander and the daughter of a clergyman Sinesia - gave the young man a good education, sending him to Constantinople. However, the grandfather-saint instilled in his grandson a love for the Almighty and taught him prayers. Thanks to his grandfather, Eutychius abandoned worldly life and chose the path of a monk. He believed that all earthly wisdom is nothing before God's revelation. The young man took tonsure in the Amasya monastery, and years later, for his strict, godly life, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite of the Amasya monasteries. During the reign of Justinian I, preparations were made for the opening of the V Ecumenical Council. By that time (552) Eutyches was ordained Patriarch of Constantinople. Due to poor health, the Metropolitan of Amasia could not go to the great meeting and sent a new Patriarch in his place. So Eutyches had the opportunity to preside at the opening of the Council. At the V Ecumenical Council, participants discussed controversial issues of heresy that contradict church dogmas, and excommunicated heretics from the Church. But soon a new heresy was put forward about the incorruptibility of the Savior’s flesh. Heretics claimed that during the hours of crucifixion Jesus had the flesh of God and did not suffer from torment. The Patriarch condemned this nonsense in 565, but the ruler himself stood on the side of the heretics and in anger deprived him of his rank as a saint, exiling him to the Amasia monastery. For 12 years Eutyches remained in exile, until the death of the Patriarch who replaced him. He was then restored to his former post, and he continued to wisely lead his flock until the end of his days. The saint died on Thomas Sunday in 582. His holy relics were kept in the Temple of Constantinople, but in 1246 they were taken to Venice. During the period of his exile, Eutyches received from above the gifts of providence and healing of ailments. So he prophesied the ascension to the throne of Justin II and Tiberius II. With his prayer, the saint helped a woman who had given birth to stillborn children give birth to healthy sons. He also restored speech to two mutes, healed a man’s hand from a cancerous tumor, and cured a poor man from leprosy with the word of God. Eutyches could cast out demons from the bodies of those suffering.

Memorial Day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia