On August 19, the long-awaited Christian holiday begins - the Transfiguration of the Lord. The basis of the significant day is described in the Gospel when Christ revealed to his three closest disciples his true appearance as the Son of God. This happened on the top of Mount Tabor shortly before the last Old Testament Passover in the earthly life of Jesus. Knowing his fate and wanting to strengthen the faith of the apostles before passionate events, the Teacher shows himself in Glory, as a king of heaven, but not of earth. While praying on Tabor, the disciples saw the real appearance of Christ and heard the voice of the heavenly father: “This is my beloved son.” After descending from the mountain, Jesus commands the apostles who saw the truth not to tell anyone about what happened until his miraculous resurrection. Empress Helen, the mother of the first Byzantine Christian ruler Constantine, remembered this event from the life of Christ when she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There, a woman devoted to the Christian religion devoted herself to finding holy places and relics associated with the earthly existence of the Son of God. Having climbed Tabor, Elena decides to establish a temple there in honor of the miracle of the Transfiguration of Christ before his disciples. The plot gradually becomes canonical, and already in the 6th century separate icons were dedicated to it. The festive church liturgy is performed by church ministers in snow-white robes in memory of the unearthly radiance of Christ on Mount Tabor. Christians on this day should turn to prayer and repentance in the hope of getting closer to the image of Christ and acquiring spiritual cleansing. Popular beliefs linked the miracle of the Transfiguration with the change of seasons and the ripening of fruits. The holiday received many accompanying names: “Spas on the Mountain”, “Middle Spas”, “First Autumns”, “Pea Spas”, and of course the most common name is “Apple Spas”. It was with the ripening of this biblical fruit that the people’s consciousness connected the day of the second Savior, located between Medov and Orekhov. And of course, Yablochny began to be revered as the main of the three Spas. Illumination of the summer harvest is typical not only for Russian lands. In Byzantium and Greece, peasants brought bunches of ripe grapes to church. In Russia, rich in apple harvests, it has become customary to bless this fragrant fruit under the arches of churches. And how many cheerful and kind customs have spread to Apple Spas among ordinary people. A good housewife was obliged to prepare pastries filled with apples, treat her family and neighbors, and not ignore the poor and beggars. Part of the meal should have been taken to the ancestors at the cemetery, joining their souls to the bright holiday. Young girls got together, made wishes and secretly told fortunes from the priests using apples. On Transfiguration, it was customary to say goodbye to the setting sun, seeing off its summer power. We welcomed autumn and noticed weather signs. A clear and sunny day promised a warm autumn, a rainy day promised a damp one. There are still many church dates ahead for Christians, strict and joyful, but the Middle Savior turns his thoughts to the approaching cold weather, for which we must thoroughly prepare by collecting and processing the harvest, taking care of a well-fed winter and not forgetting about the spiritual food bequeathed to us by Christ.

Today it is difficult to imagine modern society without the function of photography. People take pictures of themselves, around themselves, others, around others. In short, photography is a method of expressing yourself, showing your inner world, your thoughts. Or just share your impressions of the places you saw. Nowadays, photographs are more often in electronic format - they are saved on electronic media, often having entire huge albums at hand - in a smartphone. And some 20 years ago, paper photographs were more popular. Few people know that photography - as a type of transfer from a camera lens to paper - came to us from France. The famous photographer and inventor Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre, who developed cameras and came up with ways to preserve the moment he saw for centuries, came up with a way to transfer the frame to metal plates. This significant event happened in 1839. Back then, photography was called daggerotype. Of course, the idea of ​​​​transferring the world into two-dimensional space has been thought through by many scientists. Back in the 20s of the 19th century, a certain Jose Niepce expressed a theory and conducted some experiments in this direction. But only Daguerre managed to get a reliable result, the prototype of which is still used today. Of course, only black and white photographs appeared then. Interestingly, there was a whole art - photographers and artists painted photographs by hand so that they resembled the real image of the world. Color photography appeared several decades later, in 1861. Her father is believed to be James Maxwell. Interestingly, the digital camera, with the ability to store images internally, without film, was invented and patented in 1981. Only a few decades have passed - and this invention has been appreciated by almost all the inhabitants of our planet. It is known that Photography Day is dedicated to the invention of the prototype of modern photography. On August 19, all true lovers and connoisseurs of photography around the world remember the history of its invention, use this skill and say thank you to the luminaries of this business. Today, many galleries show exhibitions of famous photographers. Among whom you can find both masters of digital photography and those who like to deal with chemistry and touch the art of photography with their own hands. Such connoisseurs of beauty use film. It's easy to get involved in World Photography Day celebrations - don't forget to take some photos on August 19th.

As you know, the civilization and humanity of society is not only technical progress with its inventions and making life easier for society. To a greater extent, this is the value of the life and health of every living creature. And not only the lives and health of people, but also the lives of our smaller brothers - animals. Today, the problem of homeless animals is quite acute in every country. How many animals are left without owners due to changing circumstances. Others are already born that way. The whole world is diligently fighting this problem. Shelters are organized for homeless cats and dogs, there are many charitable foundations where compassionate, caring citizens can financially help animals - provide them with shelter and food. However, the problem remains unresolved. We all see dogs and cats on the streets of our cities, but not all of us think about how to help them. The American World Organization for the Protection of Animals organized an event - World Day for the Protection of Stray Animals. This happened in 1992. Since then, it has traditionally been held on the third Saturday of August. On this day, volunteers all over the world try to inform people all over the planet about this problem. Concerts, promotions and competitions are organized - the proceeds from which are used to save and improve the lives of our lesser disadvantaged brothers. The question of the unenviable situation of homeless animals was first raised at the end of the 19th century. At the same time, for the first time in the history of mankind, measures began to be taken en masse to alleviate the suffering of stray cats and dogs. In Russia, unfortunately, measures to actualize this problem are not so widely carried out. However, every year concerned citizens raise the issue of the difficulties of the existence of animals and try to somehow help them. Thus, many veterinary clinics on this day provide free vaccinations to homeless animals, as well as sterilization operations. In some places, collections of material assistance are increasingly organized every year. In short, every year this problem becomes more and more urgent. They talk about her. They are thinking about it and trying to somehow solve it. If every person on our planet, at least on this day - the third Saturday of August - did at least some good for homeless animals: brought food to the nursery, financed the purchase of medicine, organized the placement of a puppy or kitten in a family, this would probably be a painful issue for society wasn't that sharp.

Festival of Slavic art "Russian Field"

There are dozens of armed conflicts every year around the world. Natural disasters leave people without shelter and livelihoods. Volunteers all over the world organize missions to save people from certain critical and traumatic situations in which they find themselves. As you know, humanitarian aid is free charitable assistance to citizens who suffered during various traumatic factors. Help can be both material and psychological. An important factor is gratuitousness. On August 19, 2003, an explosion rocked the UN headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 people. Since 2008, the UN Assembly decided to recognize August 19 as World Humanitarian Day. On this day, many cities and countries hold campaigns to collect clothing, medicine, food and other necessary items. Collections are carried out on a targeted basis - for citizens affected by a specific event. Unfortunately, most often we have to help people who suffered in armed conflicts, lost their housing during a raging disaster (tsunami, floods, fires), or were injured during a technological disaster (for example, the disaster during the nuclear power plant accident in 1986 in Chernobyl , in Ukraine). During such events, peacekeeping missions are organized to deliver aid to the civilian population in hot spots by air or land. The civilian population is being evacuated. One of the most famous humanitarian organizations helping people is Doctors Without Borders. This group of caring people came into being in 1971 to help people during the war in Nigeria. Today this organization has many thousands of volunteers, volunteers all over the Earth. The dedication of these people is admirable - they are not only engaged in saving civilians from armed conflicts or natural disasters, but also conduct educational activities, the purpose of which is to prevent many deadly diseases. So, August 19 is International Humanitarian Day. Having become involved in charitable activities, each person psychologically feels his need in the life of society.

Philately Day was celebrated in the USSR from 1922 until the end of the 30s of the twentieth century. It became a kind of predecessor of Postage Stamp Day. During this period, residents of many countries were passionate about philately. The world's first exhibition of postage stamps in an international format was even organized in Belgium. For the first time, Soviet Philately Day was celebrated in 1922; the issue of special postal and charitable stamps, which was called “Philately for Children,” was timed to coincide with this date. When creating them, a special overprint “RSFSR/Philately for children/19-8-22” was used, applied in black paint over the stamps of the Russian Empire. These unique stamps were sold only on August 19, 1922. At the Moscow post office they were canceled with a special stamp. After 14 years, representatives of the International Philatelic Federation decided to annually celebrate a new holiday, which they called “Postage Stamp Day.” Since 1958, members of philatelic organizations have celebrated it together with Collector's Day. According to some sources, the first impressive collection of postal items was collected 4600 years ago by the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt. Ancient postmarks were discovered inside the tomb of Pharaoh Amenoptis. Due to the fact that they were perfectly preserved, the stamps clearly showed the places where the letters were sent. There were also papyri with inscriptions written in red or blue paint. Each letter was in a separate cylinder, which was hermetically sealed. In the 70s of the twentieth century, a philatelist from England published a book in which he claimed that archaeologists had transferred the ancient letters they had found to the Cairo Museum. Predecessors of stamps also existed in Ancient Greece. There, a special mark was used for letters - telos. Its presence meant that the recipient did not need to pay anything for the message received. The passion for postage stamps was first called “timbrophilia” because in French a postage stamp sounded like “timbre”. However, after it turned out that people collect stamps in large quantities and even cover their rooms with them, this hobby began to be called “stamp mania.” The new term "philately" appeared in 1864. It was introduced into speech by the French collector Georges Herpin. His article, which was published in the magazine “Stamp Collector,” stated that due to the wide distribution of various stamps, the term “markomania” appeared, denoting a love of studying envelopes, stamps, stamps and other postal signs. In turn, he proposed using a new term in the lexicon - “philately”.

In Russia there are unofficial holidays that are especially loved by the people. This can be considered the birthday of the Russian vest, which falls on August 19. This is a holiday that allows you to remember the merits of the Russian fleet, to feel the power and steadfastness of the Russian spirit. A vest, or simply a vest, is a body shirt made of knitwear. It has a color in the form of alternating transverse blue and white stripes. In Russia, the shirt is supplied to paratroopers and sailors. Sometimes it is called the “sea soul”, because it symbolizes the courage and fortitude of sailors. French fishermen were the first to wear vests. To prevent evil spirits on the high seas from taking their lives, they tried to look like they were already dead. A shirt with black and white stripes helped them look like skeletons. Some believe that the vest appeared when the sailing fleet began to develop. To see a sailor from afar against the backdrop of the sails or to successfully search for him overboard in case of a fall, such clothing with alternating stripes was invented. On long sea voyages, men did not hesitate to crochet striped shirts themselves. French sailors wear vests with 21 stripes: this equates to the number of significant Napoleonic victories. Their English colleagues have shirts with 12 stripes, equal to the number of ribs in a person. The Russian vest contains from 33 to 52 stripes, their number depends on the build of the person wearing it. The striped shirt came to Russia from Holland in the 19th century, when it was considered fashionable to wear a vest and flared trousers. Initially, the stripes were sewn on by the shirt owners themselves. This type of clothing was considered illegal. On August 19, 1874, a decree was signed establishing uniforms in the Russian Navy. The shirt, made of cotton and wool, protected from cold and heat, dried quickly and did not require special care. Clothes with alternating blue and white lines in color were in harmony with the St. Andrew's flag. However, the colors of the stripes sometimes changed depending on the owner’s affiliation with one or another formation. There were white-green and red-white vests. Until the 20th century, white stripes were about 4 times wider than blue stripes. Modern vests are made of cotton, which ensures that the clothing adjacent to the body is hypoallergenic and hygroscopic. St. Petersburg especially celebrates this historical date. The city on the Neva hosts all sorts of events to mark the holiday. The parks organize exhibitions demonstrating the history of the vest, competitions between former and current sailors, and drawing competitions. For those who served in the navy, this day is an occasion to meet with colleagues, and for others - to think about the past and present greatness of the Russian state.

The world's first automobile machine gun company appeared in the Russian Empire. It was formed on August 19, 1914. The company was later renamed the First Armored Division, which was armed with machine guns and tracked vehicles. They began to be used in the battles of the Second Anglo-Boer War, but began to be actively used on the fields of the First World War. In honor of the formation of one of the infantry units, which is often called the queen of the fields, an important holiday is celebrated on August 19 - the Day of the Motorized Rifle Forces of the Russian Federation. Since the formation of the Country of Soviets, the emphasis in the development of the Red Army was placed on the motorization of divisions. A new infantry formation, equipped with American armored personnel carriers and Studebaker trucks, appeared in the USSR in 1939. As a result of the formation of the Soviet defense industry, by 1957 the problem of arming the army with domestic small arms equipment was solved. The troops were equipped with hundreds of armored personnel carriers and BRDMs - armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles. In NATO countries, Marder, an analogue of the infantry fighting vehicle, appeared only in 1970. Today, the motorized rifle troops include units of artillery and tank crews, anti-aircraft gunners and missilemen, as well as motorized riflemen themselves. Infantry is an important part of the army, especially if the combat mission includes capturing enemy territory. Since the end of World War II, representatives of this type of troops have moved on foot extremely rarely, using motorized rifle transport. Equipping troops with the latest technology greatly increases the firepower of the army. Thus, modern missile systems strike both ground-based static and moving targets, as well as air targets. Soldiers of motorized rifle units use armored vehicles, hand-held fire and anti-tank weapons (from pistols and sniper rifles to machine guns and grenade launchers), and explosive ammunition (mines, grenades). For transportation, vehicles of the Dozor, KamAZ, Lynx, Typhoon-K, Tiger brands, as well as infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers are used. The motto of the Motorized Rifle Troops is “Mobility and Maneuverability.” Together with Kalashnikov assault rifles crossed against the background of a laurel wreath, he is depicted on the MSV flag. The best shooting warriors were first united into a separate squad under Ivan the Terrible. The corresponding decree was issued by the Tsar on October 1, 1550. In honor of this event, the Day of the Russian Ground Forces was established. The holiday is celebrated annually on October 1st by infantrymen, tank crews, artillerymen and missilemen. But veterans, active soldiers and officers of the Motorized Rifle Troops prefer a different date of celebration, connected with the history of the emergence of the First Armored Division. Therefore, they celebrate Motorized Rifle Forces Day on August 19 in honor of the formation of a new unit of the Russian army back in 1914.

The modern teachings and healing practices of the PRC are based on a philosophical approach to man as a part of nature and the result of the interaction of yin and yang, as well as ancient treatises on medicines. Chinese medicine is represented by acupuncture, moxotherapy, a combination of wushu and qigong gymnastics, phototherapy, dietetics and other areas. On August 19, 2017, at the national congress on health and longevity held in Beijing, it was decided to establish a professional holiday in honor of Chinese doctors. This is how Chinese Medicine Doctor’s Day appeared, which has been celebrated annually since 2018. Traditional medicine in the Middle Kingdom, in the understanding of Europeans, refers to alternative practices. Today there are more than 11 million doctors in the country, but at the end of World War II there were only 10 thousand specialists for a population of 600 million in China. The lack of doctors with European education led to the fact that Mao Zedong and the government were forced to issue a decree to popularize the knowledge of ancient traditional medicine. Over the course of several years, on the basis of 3-month courses, the “School of Barefoot Doctors” was formed from people with healing abilities. Already in the early 1960s, Chinese Medicine Centers based on the use of folk and oriental practices were actively working throughout China. According to these ancient teachings, the human body is a single system in which everything is interconnected. In a healthy body, there is a balance of yin and yang, the five elements (the elements - water, fire, metal, wood and earth), and qi energy flows freely. The goal of treating a patient according to Chinese medicine is to find the cause of the disease, and not to eliminate the symptoms of the disease. Restoring the harmony of the body and its integrity is the path to human healing. The effectiveness of the use of Chinese medicine in 1973 was highly appreciated by the WHO, which approved the popularization of the methods and achievements of doctors from the PRC. Thanks to the Eastern approach to healing, doctors from the Middle Kingdom relieve patients of asthma, stomach ulcers and other diseases recognized as incurable. In the USSR, massage, acupuncture and other healing practices began to be introduced in the 50s of the last century. The most popular treatments were reflexology, massage and acupuncture. Today, traditional Chinese medicine techniques are used to improve the health of people in many countries around the world. In China itself, more than 40% of manipulations come from traditional methods of treatment. Chinese medicine is famous not only for the effectiveness of its methods, but also for their non-invasiveness and non-traumatic nature. The most common are vacuum therapy, qigong gymnastics, healthy eating, moxotherapy (cauterization of active points with a wormwood cigar), acupuncture, and the use of natural medicines. World Chinese Medicine Day, which falls on October 11, was established in 2018 at a conference in Italy, which resulted in the Declaration of Rome. Despite this, doctors from the CRN have a professional holiday celebrated on August 19th. Chinese Medicine Doctor's Day pays tribute to specialists who master ancient Eastern teachings and follow the traditions of treatment using folk methods and practices.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies some species of great apes as endangered. These include orangutans living in the equatorial forests of Borneo and Sumatra. According to scientific research, these monkeys are considered the most intelligent animals on the planet. A catastrophic situation has developed with orangutans included in the Red Book: due to deforestation and destruction of their natural habitat, their population is rapidly declining. Previously, primates lived in southern China and various areas of Southeast Asia. Trapping of animals, fires and large-scale cutting down of trees have led to the fact that monkeys of the Pongina family can only be found on two islands of the Indian Ocean. Today their number is 19 thousand individuals. The conservation status of the monkeys closest to humans in DNA structure means they are at high risk of extinction. The holiday, established by World Orangutan Events, is intended to draw public attention to this problem. August 19 is International Orangutan Day. In honor of International Orangutan Day, various educational and other types of events are held, incl. - symbolic adoption of primates. Anyone can contact an environmental organization, choose an animal and transfer money for its maintenance. Volunteers will provide the owner with reports on the adopted orangutan and the expenses that have been made to preserve the species. In honor of the holiday, people post on social networks with the hashtag #InternationalOrangutanDay and make donations to charities involved in protecting wildlife. Unlike chimpanzees, orangutans are not aggressive and are easily tamed and trainable. Their intelligence, friendliness and ability to learn amazes people. The orangutan is a unique and still not fully studied genus of monkeys. Representatives of primates of this species can be seen on TV and met in the circus arena, where they demonstrate their extraordinary mental abilities. Many films and TV series have been made about the life of orangutans. Documentaries such as Born Free (2011) chronicle the challenges of survival for baby primates in the rainforests of Borneo. The Kaliningrad Zoo has a life-size sculpture of an orangutan made of red porphyry. The monument by animal painter Arthur Steiner was created in 1930. It is a decoration of the city, just like orangutans are a decoration of the tropical jungle. Poaching and deforestation to clear areas for oil palm plantations threaten the death of the primate population. Monkeys spend almost their entire lives in trees, so the destruction of their natural habitat promises them inevitable death. International Orangutan Day is called upon to stop the impending catastrophe.

Since 1997, by presidential decree, on August 19, Ukraine annually celebrates the national professional holiday Beekeeper Day. The holiday was established in support of the Union of Beekeepers of Ukraine with the aim of promoting and encouraging beekeeping activities. Despite the fact that Beekeeper's Day is a working day, the holiday is celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country. And this is not surprising, because Ukraine is famous for its honey and is the largest producer and supplier of honey products around the world. More than 5 million bee families work in Ukrainian apiaries, and this figure is growing every year. In many areas, folk festivities last 2 days and include exhibitions and fairs of beekeeping products, master classes, competitions and quizzes, and performances by musical folk groups. The holiday is not complete without a colorful parade of beekeepers, in which both farmers and ordinary amateur beekeepers can take part. Fun holiday events attract not only honey connoisseurs, but also tourists who can try different types of honey and honey products, attend themed parties and exhibitions dedicated to achievements in the field of beekeeping. Festive festivities traditionally end with the ceremonial presentation of prizes to producers of the most delicious honey. On this day, all of Ukraine remembers two particularly outstanding beekeepers, Pyotr Prokopovich and Nikolai Vitvitsky. It is to Peter Prokopovich that the world owes the invention of the hive frame and the collapsible frame hive, which for the first time made it possible to pump out honey without causing much damage to the bees. And Nikolai Vitvitsky laid the foundation for the basic principles of keeping and caring for bees, and also wrote numerous works on the beekeeping industry. Scientific conferences and round table meetings are also timed to coincide with the holiday, in which beekeeping issues are raised, new scientific literature in this area is presented, new business connections are established with foreign and domestic investors, and numerous contracts are concluded. It is interesting that on this day Orthodox Christians celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord, popularly called Apple Savior, and all beekeepers rush to bless not only apples and honey, but their hives so that the bees can easily endure the winter cold.

Every year on August 19, Vietnam celebrates August Revolution Day. For a long time, Vietnam was under the influence of France and Japan, but as a result of the people's liberation movement, the Vietnamese managed to change their own history. The revolution of 1945 was the final stage, after which the state was freed from foreign influence. In memory of this, every year in Vietnam ceremonial events are held in honor of the August Revolution. Until 1945, Vietnam was divided into separate regions of Annam, Cochin China and Tonkin, which were formally considered French colonies. After France surrendered in World War II in 1940, Japanese troops occupied Vietnamese territory and, in fact, a triarchy emerged in the country: the Japanese military, French colonialists and domestic monarchs. Further events developed as follows: 1. In May 1941, on behalf of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the creation of the Viet Minh liberation front was announced, the members of which were patriotic citizens. 2. By 1945, the Japanese called Vietnam an empire and established a pro-Japanese regime in the state. 3. France, trying to recapture the territory of Vietnam from Japan, sent in its troops. In history, these clashes were called the “War of Resistance.” 4. The Viet Minh movement organized a civilian guerrilla movement to liberate the country from the Japanese. In April 1945, preparations began for a mass uprising. 5. By June 4, 6 provinces in the north of the country were liberated from the Japanese. 6. In August 1945, at the next conference, the Communist Party of Vietnam decided to conduct a popular uprising. The ultimate goal was to achieve complete independence of the country. 7. On August 16, the Vietnam Liberation Committee was organized. Ho Chi Minh was elected leader. The committee assumed the duties of the provisional government and called on the people for a general uprising, which was scheduled for August 16-26. 8. On August 19, the masses captured Hanoi, and already on August 24, under pressure from the people, Emperor Bao Dai was forced to publicly abdicate the throne. 9. On September 2, at a national rally in the capital, Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the provisional government, announced the final victory and the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. For the Vietnamese people, August 19 became a turning point in history, so every year this day is celebrated in the country as August Revolution Day.

Nature and its creations amaze with their uniqueness and metamorphoses - the possibility of living beings transitioning from one state to another. An example of such a process is the transformation of an unsightly-looking caterpillar into a luxurious butterfly. Fluttering insects are associated with lightness, grace, elusive beauty and carelessness. August 19th is the Day of Transformation into a Butterfly. A fun holiday pushes people to make drastic changes and instills faith that our possibilities are limitless. On August 19, metamorphoses are welcomed in all areas and manifestations - in appearance, communication with others, personal life and work. The day of becoming a butterfly encourages you to flutter out of the symbolic cocoon, spread your wings and boldly declare your uniqueness to the world. Any radical change is associated with fear, the risk of failure, or non-acceptance of your actions by others. But only through trial and error can you understand whether the right path has been chosen and whether it was worth taking the decisive step. On August 19, you should cast aside any doubts about your own abilities, remembering that those who do not take risks do not drink champagne. In Feng Shui, butterflies are considered a symbol of joy and love. Their figures will fill the house with the energy of freshness and cleanliness, help lonely people find a partner and attract happiness. According to the Taoist practice of mastering space, figurines, paintings and other decor depicting fluttering beauties should be placed in the southwestern sector of the bedroom - the zone responsible for romance and personal relationships. In honor of the holiday, those who could not decide on drastic changes decorate the house with butterflies of various shapes and sizes, and give loved ones elegant jewelry, costume jewelry and postcards with their images. Traditionally, talismans are used to protect against adversity and attract good luck. According to Feng Shui, amulets in the form of butterflies made with one's own hands are welcome. Depending on the material used and the intentions of the owner, winged beauties will bring peace and tranquility or passion and love to life. The day of turning into a butterfly is ideal for creating talismans whose appearance resembles graceful insects. Every person needs a periodic shake-up in the form of fundamental changes. Everyday life and routine drag on like silt at the bottom of a pond. Nature welcomes various metamorphoses: the opening of a bud and the appearance of delicate petals on a flower, a change in skin color in a chameleon, the mimicry of an Indonesian octopus transforming into a poisonous flounder, stingray or mantis shrimp to protect itself from attacks. Man is an integral part of the world around him, endowed with willpower and reason. Therefore, he can handle any, even the most radical changes, especially if they are made on the Day of Transformation into a Butterfly.

Orthodox Christians celebrate the Apple Savior, or Transfiguration of the Lord, on August 19. Contrary to popular belief, apples have nothing to do with this holiday. The key word in its name is Spas, short for “savior.” Translated from Greek, the name Jesus means “savior.” Why did apples appear in the name of one of the most beloved holidays among Christians? The fact is that many Christian traditions, over time, supplanted the pagan beliefs of people - this also happened with the holidays. In ancient pre-Christian times, the Greeks celebrated a festival dedicated to the goddess of fertility and love on this summer day. By this time, the harvest was just ripening in the fields and gardens, and first of all, people collected sweet, aromatic grapes, from which they later made wine. Heavy ripe grapes were brought as a gift to the goddess of fertility to thank her for a successful year with a generous harvest. Over time, the Greeks adopted Christianity, forgetting about pagan holidays, but on this August day they continued to collect and consecrate grapes - but in Orthodox churches. In Rus', they borrowed this tradition from the Greeks, only the grapes were replaced with a fruit more familiar to us - apples. This is how the Savior of the Transfiguration of the Lord became “apple-shaped.” In addition, this holiday intersects with the prayer service of thanks given by Orthodox Christians in honor of the Almighty giving us “the fruits of the earth.” And yet, the main event that gave rise to the glorious holiday has nothing to do with fertility or the harvest. It was on August 19, about two thousand years ago, that the Transfiguration of Christ happened before John, James and Peter - his three disciples. On this day, Jesus first appeared before people in his true Divine essence. This event, called the Transfiguration of the Lord, took place on Mount Tabor. During the common prayer of Christ with his disciples, the heavens suddenly lit up with a bright light, and the Old Testament prophets, Elijah and Moses, descended to the earth in a white radiance. They told Jesus about the upcoming trials, about the exodus in Jerusalem, about death on the Cross, the future Resurrection and about the atoning sacrifice that he had to make to save humanity. It is this great event that we celebrate on August 19th. There are many popular sayings associated with this Christian holiday. One of them says: “Apple Savior has come - summer has left us.” Indeed, on this day one could already feel the first faint breath of the approaching autumn. In addition to sayings, there are many folk signs that are closely related to the celebration of the Apple Savior:• By the weather on this day you can judge what the middle of autumn will be like.• If the fruit in the garden has rotted before the onset of the Apple Savior, it means that the next year will be difficult and full tests.• If a child ran into the house on this day, complaining of a bee sting, it means that guests should be expected soon.• If you help people on the day of the Honey Savior and appease them, then they will help you throughout the year.• So that a cherished wish came true, you need to eat an apple blessed in church on the day of the holiday, washing it down with honey.• On the day of the Apple Savior, it was customary to distribute small money to the poor - it was believed that such an act promised wealth and prosperity to the giver. There were also some prohibitions associated with the holiday: • It was believed that on this day one should rest and not work. It was forbidden to even pick up handicrafts.• On the Feast of the Apple Savior, it was forbidden to swim in reservoirs.• Eating apples on such a day was allowed only after they were consecrated in the temple.• It was forbidden to quarrel on the day of this holiday and provoke conflicts.• You cannot go to the bathhouse on such a day , it is strictly forbidden to wash your hair.• Insects on the day of the Apple Savior cannot be driven away or killed.• When praying on this day, you should definitely remember all your deceased relatives.• Since the Assumption Fast comes with the Honey Savior, on the day of the holiday you should minimize consumption of animal products.

The history of the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk region and the Ural Federal District goes back three hundred years. The year of foundation of Yekaterinburg is considered to be 1723, when, by decree of Peter I, the construction of an ironworks began on the banks of the Iset River. In terms of technical equipment, the enterprise was superior to other metallurgical plants of the Russian Empire. The first descent of the flashy war hammers in the workshops of the Ekaterininsky plant, named after Peter’s second wife, took place on November 7, 1723 according to the new style. During the USSR, this date marked the annual celebration of City Day, renamed Sverdlovsk in honor of Ya.M. Sverdlov - a famous figure of the Soviet Communist Party. In 1987, it was decided to move the celebration to the summer - the third Saturday of August. The holiday program included not only performances by pop groups, folk art festivals and fireworks, but also the opening of Youth Palaces and trolleybus lines, the laying of time capsules with an appeal to descendants. In 2023, Yekaterinburg, which received its historical name back in 1991, will turn 300 years old. Large-scale events were dedicated to the anniversary: ​​a parade of orchestras in the Historical Square, a costumed procession through the streets of the city, concerts by Russian pop stars, an open-air exhibition of retro cars and the G-Drive Show. In honor of the holiday, sporting events are held - a basketball tournament, Russian championships in rock climbing and high jumping, and the Balance cyber festival. Ekaterinburg, Russia's fourth largest city, is one of its main industrial and cultural centers. The center of the Sverdlovsk region is located in Western Siberia, in the heart of our homeland. The Urals have long been inhabited by friendly, energetic, thrifty, enterprising and savvy people. The Urals, who have always been distinguished by good health and hard work, mastered many crafts. In honor of City Day, exhibitions of folk arts and crafts are held in Yekaterinburg. Masters of stone-cutting art, manufacturers of Sysert porcelain, Tavolga ceramics and Nizhny Tagil trays present their works there. In 1873, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the city, an exhibition of products from Ural factories was already held at the Imperial Lapidary Factory. Its exhibits were carefully studied by Grand Duke Alexei, the son of Tsar Alexander II. The heir to the throne was impressed by the work of the gunsmiths and ordered 27 sabers from the Zlatoust plant as a gift to officers of the Russian fleet. Ekaterinburg is a city with a rich history and traditions. In 1923, it was decided to celebrate the anniversary in the summer, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the victory over Kolchak. For the 200th anniversary of the city, an exhibition was opened at the mining school, the exhibits of which were related to the history of Yekaterinburg and the revolutionary movement. For the anniversary in 1923, a collection of scientific articles was published, which local historians of the Sverdlovsk region still use in their work. In honor of the 300th anniversary, a large-scale historical reconstruction took place in the Literary Quarter. The townspeople took part in the preparation of theatrical performances dedicated to the first celebration of St. Catherine, Pushchin’s farewell to hard labor and other events. The historical square, which was laid out in 1973, is the cultural heart of Yekaterinburg. On its territory, in the preserved buildings of the ironworks, there are museums of the nature of the Urals, fine arts, architecture and industrial technology. Events dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the city were held throughout the week. 3D mapping was added to the traditional concerts of pop performers, the scenes of which were projected onto the façade of the administration building. The end of the festive program dedicated to the anniversary of Yekaterinburg was a light and music performance and fireworks display, which took place in the water area of ​​the city pond.