Every year on February 14, many countries around the world celebrate Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day. The history of such a good and cheerful holiday goes back centuries, back to pagan times. The “Golden Legend,” passed down from mouth to mouth, has survived to this day. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius II, the army of the empire experienced some difficulties. There weren't enough soldiers. Then the emperor issued a decree prohibiting legionnaires from entering into legal marriages, believing that a soldier without a wife and children would be more willing to lay down his head on the battlefield. However, there were still those who wanted to get married, even under pain of the death penalty. It was these couples, walking hand in hand and desiring God's blessing, that the priest Valentin united, without fear for his fate. He was known as a romantic, had a cheerful and good-natured disposition, helped lovers in moments of quarrels, gave letters and gifts, men and women willingly trusted him with their heartfelt affairs, and went for advice in amorous matters. He did not refuse anyone, he helped with everything he could. However, his fate ended sadly. The emperor, having learned about his craving for beauty, contrary to his decrees, awarded him the death penalty. While in prison, awaiting his death hour, the assistant's amorous affairs unexpectedly fell in love with Julia, the daughter of the prison warden. Having experienced a tender feeling on the threshold of life and death, the desperate lover wrote a letter with declarations of love to the girl who so excited him, but they could read it only after the execution. It is believed that this letter is fundamental in the tradition of writing valentines on Valentine's Day. A little later, Valentine was canonized by the Catholic Church, and in 496 the Pope declared February 14 (the day of the priest's execution) as St. Valentine's Day. But in 1969, during church reform, his name was removed from the church calendar due to insufficient evidence of the holiness of the executed priest. But among the people the holiday remained unchanged. Traditionally, on this day, couples in love congratulate each other, give gifts, and write valentines. Every country in the world has its own rules and customs of celebration. So in Russia, Valentine's Day has a wide scope, despite the already existing summer holiday of lovers, the original Russian Day of Peter and Fevronia of Murom.

Everyone knows that Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 - the holiday of all lovers. But on the same day there is a more unusual holiday - International Single Oddball Day. He is associated with the “quirkialon” movement that originated in the United States, founded by the writer Sasha Keigen. Her philosophy is based on the assertion that happiness is possible for every person, regardless of whether he or she has a partner. Keigen followers call themselves completely self-sufficient people and do not consider relationships a guarantee of happiness. Today, the day of single eccentrics is celebrated by different categories of people: 1. Participants in the quirkyalone movement are both single and coupled.2. People who reject consumer culture and choose to distance themselves from the marketing that pervades Valentine's Day.3. Those who are not in a relationship and do not want to feel lonely on February 14.4. Cynics who are annoyed by the abundance of heart-shaped paraphernalia and “vanilla” love stories that fill the air of TV channels. The history of the holiday began in 2003. Today it is celebrated by residents of many large cities in the United States, primarily New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and also in other countries. Celebrations often take place in bars and eateries. On this day you will not see decor in the form of hearts, decoration in red and pink tones or touching inscriptions. The halls are decorated with black balloons and anti-Valentine cards with ironic inscriptions. Some establishments used to even offer free drinks to visitors who brought with them photographs of former lovers. Visitors to cafes and bars make fun of the lovers and their holiday, or simply want to spend time in pleasant company. Owners of establishments sometimes organize themed competitions or offer original cocktails. The events are covered in the media. They are designed to make singles more visible, expand their opportunities and support those who have not yet met their soul mate or, in principle, do not want to enter into a relationship. If you want to celebrate the holiday of single eccentrics, but have no desire to attend themed events (or they are not held in your city), then there is a way out. On this day, the main thing is to take care of yourself and have fun. Here are good leisure options:• spend time with friends or family;• send anti-Valentine cards to your loved ones with funny or satirical inscriptions;• go shopping and treat yourself to a gift;• cook your favorite dish or learn a new recipe;• devote time to your hobby.

“Music heals the soul” - this is the phrase that Italian masters of the Middle Ages placed on many musical instruments. Music therapy or sound treatment is one of the modern healing techniques. She even has her own world holiday, which is celebrated annually on February 14th. Although the history of this technique actually begins after the end of the First World War, many ancient healers knew about the healing properties of sounds. Music has an almost mystical power over a person. It can influence his emotional background, awakening pain and fear, causing sadness and joy. A certain combination of sounds can induce a state of trance and euphoria. Music can cause both drowsiness and excitement. This knowledge was discovered by ancient people. Nearly two centuries ago, French psychiatrist Jean-Etienne Dominique Esquirol, who revolutionized psychiatry and pioneered the first formal teaching of the discipline in France, began using music to treat the mentally ill. Unfortunately, the psychiatrist’s innovation did not take root at that time, but in the early 30s of the last century, music therapy began to be practiced in various European clinics. At first, German specialists treated patients with stomach ulcers with music. The Austrians then used sounds as anesthesia during childbirth. The effectiveness of the technique spoke for itself. Music as a pain reliever is the most common sound therapy option. Today, official medicine still continues to ignore music therapy and prefers more reliable means, although research speaks in favor of this unusual and most gentle method. When the technological revolution occurred, scientists were able to study the effect created by music in more detail. It turned out that the human nervous system, like muscles, can adopt musical rhythms. Sounds are external stimuli. First, they are perceived by the auditory analyzer, which transmits information to the cerebral cortex and further along the chain to the subcortical centers, spinal cord, internal organs and autonomic system. Under the influence of sounds, a person’s heart rate and breathing rate, the concentration of certain hormones in the blood, and even blood pressure can change. If the listener likes the music, then his pulse slows down. Sounds affect muscle tone and motor activity. Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto, who published the book “The Message of Water” in 1999, found that under the influence of classical music the structure of water molecules changes, and they form elegant, beautiful crystals. As we all remember, a person is 60% water, so “our water” also reacts to sound stimuli. Sounds also have an effect on the endocrine system, stimulating or inhibiting the synthesis of certain hormones. When a person hears music, the melody makes every cell of his body resonate. Certain melodies not only heal, but also promote rapid assimilation of information, increase brain performance, improve memory and concentration, and reduce stress levels. On February 14, you can go on a romantic date with your loved one, since it is also Valentine's Day, but you can create a different scenario for the evening. At home, in a quiet and calm environment, light aromatic candles, lay a soft blanket on your favorite sofa, dim the lights, pick up a cup of hot tea and turn on your favorite music. Light, calm melodies best promote relaxation of the body. Classic compositions are ideal. Pay attention to the famous musical works of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Liszt, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Debussy, Morricone, Schubert. You can select a track list of melodies in which musical instruments are “accompanied” by the sounds of nature - the sound of rain, clap of thunder, rustling leaves, murmur of a river.

Computing technologies and software play a vital role in many areas of people's lives. They are used in applied research, economics, finance and education. The use of computers contributes to significant savings of time and money. Specialists who understand how to handle them celebrate their professional holiday every year on February 14th. Geek Day is not considered a day off. This event is still unofficial; it is not included by the state in the list of significant dates in the country. The holiday is celebrated by everyone who has at least some connection to working with computer devices. On this day you can congratulate programmers, specialists testing and monitoring software, system administrators, and database maintenance workers. In addition, students, graduates and teachers of specialized universities consider this celebration to be theirs. The holiday is also celebrated by their colleagues, comrades and family members. Representatives of this field are united by a wide range of specializations. Their responsibilities include the development and maintenance of computer networks, information databases and servers. In addition, the list of main functions includes ensuring the proper operation of peripheral devices, developing and installing various applications, and quickly eliminating errors that occur in operating systems. The career growth of computer scientists begins with entering a university to receive a basic education. During lectures, students gain theoretical skills and subsequently practical experience in relevant classes and practical work. Representatives of this profession must be fluent in English, constantly monitor changes in the field of computer technology, and apply best practices in practice. Computer scientists ensure reliable data protection and prevent hacking. Such professional activities fall into the category of well-paid ones that require a responsible approach. This holiday enjoys great attention and demand in Western countries. In our country, its popularity is just beginning to gain momentum. Congratulations and pleasant souvenirs from colleagues, relatives and friends are considered mandatory components of the event. Some organizations organize banquets and corporate celebrations on this occasion. Under the protection of large enterprises in the field of computer technology, thematic conferences and lectures are organized, seminars and exhibitions are held. Participants talk about the main trends in this area, report plans for the production of new products and the introduction of innovative developments, and share their immediate forecasts with the audience. Conference members exchange personal experiences, think about business problems, and test equipment. A large number of people gather at such events.

The last winter month, February, is rich in all kinds of holidays. The first thing that comes to mind when we remember the date of February 14 is, of course, Valentine's Day. But in the pagan tradition, one of the most important moments is celebrated on this day - Disting. A holiday of dis, that is, female supernatural beings, ancestors and goddesses. This day is mentioned in many ancient sources - the Hervarar saga, the Víga-Glums saga, Egils, Heimskringl). To this day, a tradition has been preserved in Sweden in the form of an annual fair called Disting (Disæþing). During Distign, the turning point is celebrated when winter loses its strength and the gradual arrival of warmth begins. On this day, the sun conquers winter frost and darkness, symbolically awakening the vital forces that have been dormant throughout the winter. There is no clear theory of where the holiday comes from. It is found in Viking mythology in the Scandinavian countries. The day associated with it, Disablot, is dedicated to the feminine principle and the origin of life. During Disting, the first timid breath of warmth and preparation for spring were celebrated. First of all, they prepared the fields for sowing, and also counted the cattle. It was believed that calves born on this day would bring great wealth to their owners the following year. Today, this holiday has remained more of a tradition, although fairs are still held in Scandinavian countries. Many people give each other gifts in honor of the awakening of spring. For those wishing to get married, this time is considered very favorable. They say that the happiest families were created during this period. A few adherents of paganism are trying to continue the tradition and revive the holiday again. This symbolic time is remembered and celebrated in many cultures, the victory of warmth over winter has always been considered a special time of year. Ancient civilizations believed that at certain times supernatural forces helped their earthly brothers.

February 14 is International Book Giving Day. The holiday arose when one American woman, Emmy Broadmoor - she, by the way, is the founder of a children's book website in the USA, her son asked why there is no day on which all people give books to each other for no reason. This woman decided that her child was right - and suggested organizing a donation campaign. She did this thanks to her friends - famous bloggers, through social networks on the Internet. The first book donation campaign was held for no reason on February 14, 2012. Since then, every year on February 14, more and more people around the world take part in the event, and today we can already say that the day of giving illustrated, beautiful publications, most often for children, has become international. Think about it: in every home there are books that have already been read. Think how much joy they can bring to people for whom there is no opportunity to purchase this item: children in orphanages will be delighted with children's books, people who do not have sufficient income to purchase a book will be delighted by the opportunity to read it. Taking part in the campaign is quite simple - just collect the books you have read in your home and take them to an orphanage or shelter and ask them to donate them to the children. Thus, every person will have the opportunity to touch the world of creativity, read it, and feel the joy of a good deed. There is another way to introduce the younger generation to reading - a fairy tale, story or story can be left free of charge in the lobby of a hospital, a pediatrician or dentist's waiting room, in a kindergarten or school. It can be left in the foyer of any other waiting room where children are. Today, International Book Giving Day is becoming popular and widespread, because when giving the author’s work to others, people write comments on social networks, display the moment of donation in the photo, many famous writers promote this action. Sometimes instilling a love of reading in children is quite easy - it’s enough just to give the child a bright, interesting story, story or fairy tale with exciting, funny or educational content at the right time. After all, once a child loves to read, he will never lose this interest. Promote the younger generation's love for self-development and reading - “forget” the children's book in a public place. It would not be a bad idea to display what you have done on your pages on social networks - let as many people as possible take part in this kind action that develops the younger generation.

People fall in love not only with each other, but also with beautiful places, brilliant films and books. Works of art make you worry and suffer, inspire you to achieve accomplishments and bring true pleasure, just like romantic relationships. On February 14, it is customary to meet and congratulate each other not only on Valentine’s Day, but also to arrange information at a table in the library. The counterpart in this case is not a person dear to the heart, but a book. February 14th is Library Valentine's Day. Among the bookshelves in the silence of the reading rooms, you can make a date and spend time alone with your favorite hero - D'Artagnan, Anna Karenina, Hamlet, Sherlock Holmes, Ostap Bender, Tatyana Larina and even Carlson or Winnie the Pooh. Library workers are developing Library Lovers Day plans of events that help to celebrate this international holiday as intimately as possible. On February 14, people give each other books, take part in “Love Fever” quests or read aloud literary works. “Lyrical Hours” are held in libraries, during which poems from classics are read and contemporaries, romances, excerpts from rock operas ("Juno and Avos", "Orpheus and Everedice", "Romeo and Juliet") and other musical genres.The meaningful motive of the holiday is love and its manifestations in works of art. Library Lovers Day was first held in 2006 in Australia at the State Library of New South Wales. A year later it was included in the calendar of national holidays. The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) is promoting the love of books. Later, her initiative was picked up in other countries of the world. Every year, libraries choose a theme for the celebration. In 2018, Library Lovers Day was dedicated to antique writing instruments. On February 14, 2019, a competition was held to write stories about the search and meeting of love within the walls of the library. In Russia, the holiday is traditionally associated with Valentine's Day. In honor of Library Lovers Day, visitors donate books to libraries that are in good condition and are waiting for new readers. The holiday and events in its honor raise the general level of culture and broaden horizons, forming an understanding of the meaning and essence of such a feeling as love. On February 14, St. Valentine's Post starts operating in libraries. Readers are invited to write a declaration of love on a heart-shaped piece of paper, not to the object of their affection, but to the book. The celebration of Library Lovers Day is appreciated by bibliophiles, because... The list of identical events includes exhibitions of ancient tomes or books on a given topic. The biennials are called “Quiet Words of Love”, “Date in the Library”, “Love Spreads Its Wings over the World”, etc. Exhibitions, competitions, quests and valentines for literary heroes are an integral part of celebrating a touching and funny holiday - Valentine's Day in the library.

Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Day is celebrated annually on February 14th. It was approved by the Children's Heart Society, a charitable non-profit organization from Canada, specializing in supporting families with children who have congenital or acquired heart disease. The initiative was subsequently supported by non-profit organizations from other countries. On February 14, events are held around the world to disseminate information regarding congenital heart disease (CHD). Fundraising is also being conducted to research the causes of this malformation and develop methods for its diagnosis and treatment. A congenital heart defect is an anatomical defect in the structure of the heart itself and/or large vessels. About 1% of children in the world are born with this pathology, so it is quite common. It occurs before the eighth week of pregnancy. More than 100 types of such disorders are known. Some of them are more common in boys, others - in girls, some are “neutral”, that is, they are diagnosed with equal frequency in newborns of both sexes. Conventionally, congenital heart defects are divided into two groups: 1. "White". They differ in that venous and arterial blood do not mix. 2. "Blue". With them, a right-to-left shunt of blood is observed, with arterial and venous blood mixing. People with this defect are characterized by a specific bluish skin tone. Sometimes birth defects can be diagnosed immediately after the baby is born or even in the womb; in other cases, they can appear in adulthood. Their occurrence is influenced by the following reasons: 1. Genetic. This group includes predisposition, chromosomal disorders (structural and quantitative), gene mutations. 2. Ecological. These are x-rays, sun rays, a woman’s use of certain medications or alcohol during pregnancy, smoking, as well as some diseases of the expectant mother (for example, diabetes, lupus, rubella). Risk factors also include: • the presence of endocrine diseases in the child's father; • the presence of people with congenital heart disease among relatives; • the threat of termination of pregnancy in the first trimester; • a woman's history of fetal death. Timely diagnosis is critically important in the treatment of congenital heart disease. Symptoms of the defect are varied and depend on its specific type. The most common include: retardation in the development and growth of the child, pain in the heart, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath during exercise, arrhythmia, pallor or cyanosis of the skin. If at least one of them appears, you should immediately consult a doctor. Of course, this applies to cases where the pathology was not diagnosed in utero or immediately after birth. To identify a disorder, a number of techniques are used, for example, ECG, echo-CG, and cardiac radiography. Treatment for congenital heart disease is usually surgical. It can be supplemented with drug therapy. Today, 97% of children with heart defects who were operated on in a timely manner live a full life in the future. Operations are usually performed on a stopped heart. This involves using a heart-lung machine, which temporarily takes over the function of the heart in the body. In some cases, abdominal surgery can be replaced with endovascular surgery. It has fewer negative consequences for the patient and allows him to be discharged from the hospital within a few days after surgery. In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment, complications and even death are possible.

On this day, the priest makes a cross made of ashes to those who confess, or sprinkles ashes on the heads of believers as a sign of humility and repentance. This action also reminded Christians that their body was only dust of the earth. This custom has ancient biblical origins. The ashes must be from willow (or palm branches), which have been preserved since Palm Sunday itself. Since the 10th century, excommunicated sinners could rejoin the church, and this had to be done before Lent. For such people, a ceremony was performed with ashes sprinkled on the head. This spectacle was so vivid and symbolic that from then on it was decided to begin Lent with Ash Wednesday. And before that, Pentecost in the West began on Sunday. During the action with the ashes, the priest said: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.” After this, Catholics begin Lent, which lasts 46 days, in contrast to the Orthodox fast of 48 days. In former times, people were supposed to wear dark clothes on this day. Often men, returning from church after the liturgy, went into a tavern to “wash it off.” They believed that if you drink alcohol on Bad Wednesday, it will save you from insect bites in the summer. On Ash Wednesday, according to the rules of the Catholic Church, it is forbidden to eat meat, and eating to your fill is allowed only once a day. This is where the saying “get up from the table half hungry” comes into play. If someone cannot fast for health reasons, the church allows the days of repentance to be spent differently. It is also necessary to pray fervently and not forget about mercy, to abstain from bodily pleasures.

Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Jayanti in Hinduism (Vasant Panchami)

The top three languages ​​of the world, which are distinguished by their special melody and beauty, include Italian, Ukrainian and French. When compiling the rating, their phonetics and spelling, lexical, word-formation and other features were taken into account. French, despite the difficulties encountered when learning it by foreigners, is considered the language of friendship and love. Hugo, Dumas and Flaubert spoke on it, Yves Montand and Belmondo played, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour and Joe Dassin sang. February 14 marks the birthday of the French language. A number of holidays, according to the decision of the UN General Assembly, have official status. Thus, since 2010, International French Language Day is celebrated annually on March 20th. It, like Russian, Arabic, English, Spanish and Chinese, provides communication for members of the United Nations. The holiday is intended to highlight the cultural diversity of the peoples and countries that are members of the UN. French is spoken by more than 200 million citizens of 58 states and their territorial autonomies. However, the descendants of the Gallo-Roman tribes annually celebrate on February 14 a national holiday - Journée de la langue française. The date of the celebration of the birthday of the native language is associated with the pronouncement of the Strasbourg oaths by the grandchildren of King Charlemagne in 842 before the troops. They sounded in both Old High German and Old French. The oaths took the form of a treaty of alliance between Louis II, the founder of the Carolingian dynasty, and Charles II the Bald, king of Western Franconia. Thus, the brothers swore allegiance to each other on February 14, 842. The Strasbourg oaths are among the oldest monuments in the history of the French language. Journée de la langue française is celebrated in many countries around the world. This Romance language is spoken in France, Belgium, Monaco, Switzerland, the Canadian province of Quebec, Madagascar, and the countries of North and Central Africa. The holiday is also celebrated by those who study Français as a foreign language. French for a long time was not only the language of the Russian nobility, but also a means of communication in the diplomatic sphere in the 17th-20th centuries. All the terms of classical ballet are spoken in the language of Marius Petipa and Roland Petit, and the judges who evaluate sports fencing also speak it. In modern English, more than 30% of words are of French origin. For six centuries, the language of the descendants of the Gallo-Roman tribes was the official language of the peoples living on the territory of modern Great Britain. Today, African countries have more French-speaking populations than France itself. You can practice your knowledge of Napoleon's language by visiting Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti and other islands of South America. Journée de la langue française is celebrated not only in Paris and the provinces of the country, which had extensive colonies in the 17th-20th centuries. The population of these territories also celebrates the birthday of the French language on February 14th.

Trifonov Day is a holiday of the southern and eastern Slavs associated with the onset of spring. It is celebrated especially cheerfully and grandly in Bulgaria, where Trifon Zarezan (Orezač) is considered the patron saint of winegrowers and winemakers. On the icons, Saint Tryphon was depicted as a young man holding a special knife for pruning grapes - a koser. People sometimes call Tryphon a drunkard, since, according to legend, while pruning vines, he cut his nose while tipsy. This day falls on February 14, just at the time when nature is preparing for spring. It is customary to celebrate this holiday for four days. For the first time of the year, grapevines are pruned for it. It is worth noting that pruning is symbolic; real pruning begins only after a few weeks. Bulgarians go to churches on Tryphon, where services are held, and prayers against pests are also held. Parishioners take specially blessed water from churches. In some areas, clergy perform a religious procession with the symbolic pruning of three grape vines and sprinkling them with holy water. Although the holiday begins with a church service, researchers claim that it has pagan roots. The fact is that the Thracians lived on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula, who were engaged in winemaking and celebrated the beginning of the agricultural year on a grand scale. And much later, the Bulgarians combined this holiday with the day of execution of the Christian Saint Tryphon. On Tryphon you are allowed to drink wine, have fun and walk. It is believed that the more wine you drink, the better the grape harvest. For the festive meal, everyone brings fragrant bread, chicken stuffed with rice and flasks of wine, into which grape branches are inserted. Celebrants water the roots of the grapes with wine. On this wild day, it is customary to choose a king, or king, of the holiday. According to legend, this should be a respected, wealthy man. If the king’s choice is made correctly, then the weather will favor the winegrowers. They carry him in their arms, pour wine on him and honor him in every possible way. The procession, consisting of the king and his “retinue,” walks for a long time through the courtyards and tastes the treats of the hospitable hosts. On the remaining days of the celebration, women prepare ritual bread and feed it to their households and livestock in order to avoid attacks by wolves.

The famous Solun brothers Cyril and Methodius entered the history of Christianity as the first missionaries who conducted services in the Slavic language. The date of their veneration in the Catholic Church is February 14. The enlightenment brothers were born in the 9th century in the Byzantine town of Thessaloniki (now the Greek city of Thessaloniki), in the family of a noble military nobleman. Thessaloniki was a bilingual city: the Greek language and the Thessalonica dialect, spoken by local South Slavic peoples, were spoken there on equal terms. Scientists have not come to a clear conclusion about the ethnicity of the brothers (for example, in Bulgaria they are considered Bulgarians), but it is known that they spoke both Greek and South Slavic languages ​​as their native languages. Having received an excellent education, the brothers abandoned their secular careers and devoted themselves to church service. And the main business of their lives was the Moravian mission. In the 9th century, there was a large Slavic principality of Great Moravia in eastern Europe. Bavarian Catholic missionaries were active there, conducting church services in Latin. At that time there was no division of the Christian Church into Catholic and Orthodox (Great Schism of 1054), but things were already heading towards that. The Moravian prince Rostislav sought to avoid the tutelage of the German clergy and asked the Byzantine emperor to send missionaries who would preach in a language understandable to the Slavs. Cyril and Methodius, based on the Solunsky dialect, created the bookish and literary Old Church Slavonic language and a special alphabet - the Glagolitic alphabet - for recording liturgical texts. In subsequent years, the brothers and their students translated the Bible and the main church books from Greek into Old Church Slavonic, conducted services in Moravia and neighboring countries, and also taught the local Slavs a new language and script for worship. Over time, the Old Church Slavonic language transformed into Church Slavonic. Before Cyril and Methodius, it was believed that it was permissible to address God only in three languages: Hebrew, Latin or Greek. But thanks to the enlightenment brothers, the “heresy of trilingualism” was put to shame and Pope Adrian II allowed liturgies in the Slavic language. Nevertheless, the confrontation between the German and Slavic clergy continued. After the Great Schism, supporters of the Slavic rite were expelled in some places, and in others they coexisted with the Latin one. In Catholic territories, Cyril and Methodius were revered for a long time only in the Czech Republic and Dalmatia in the status of “locally revered saints.” Only in the 19th century, with the rise of national self-awareness of the Slavic peoples, did the veneration of the Thessalonica brothers spread to the rest of the lands of the Catholic Slavs. Since 1880, Cyril and Methodius have been recognized as universally revered Catholic saints. Tomb of St. Methodia is located in the Czech city of Velehrad, which was once the capital of Great Moravia. Now every year on February 14, magnificent celebrations are held there in memory of the Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers.

On February 14 (February 1, old style), according to the folk calendar, Tryphon Day is celebrated, more often called Tryphon the Mousegon among people. The holiday received its name partly from the Orthodox date of veneration of Saint Tryphon, who became a martyr for his faith in Jesus Christ in the 3rd century. In his youth, Tryphon received from God the gift of healing various ailments and the ability to cast out demons. For his help, the saint asked only to believe in the Savior. When the pagan emperor learned about the miracle worker, he ordered him to be persuaded to idolatry. Tryphon was tortured with terrible torture, but he remained devoted to the Lord, without uttering a single groan. For his refusal, the martyr was cut with a sword. One day Tryphon helped his village overcome a time of famine. While reading a prayer, he drove away the insects that were harming the crop. Thanks to this incident, they prayed to Tryphon for the preservation of the fields and asked the saint for help in expelling rodents. And the day of Tryphon was popularly nicknamed the mouser for the tradition of getting rid of rodents. To cast a spell on pests, they usually called a healer, who came with his cat. He performed a ritual of conjuring rats and mice, setting fire to hay and ears of grain in a cleaned oven. I poured the ashes in places where rodents had entered. The peasants believed that such a ritual drove pests out of the entire village. Also, the owners cajoled the cats in response to Tryphon the Mouse Racer: they treated them with milk and treated them with kind words. Sometimes Easter egg shells were used to protect against rodents - they were scattered in the corners of the house. According to superstitions, it was believed that if a mouse gets into one’s bosom, then trouble will come to a person, and if it gnaws through his clothes, he will die. Tryphon was the patron saint of family and spouses, so unmarried girls prayed to him for a quick marriage. Weddings were often held in February, just before Easter Lent, so the girls asked the saint to see matchmakers in their house. Noticing fog in the evening on Tryphon the Mouserunner, residents expected warmer conditions the next morning. A clear frosty night foreshadowed a late spring. Snowfalls on Tryphon promised frequent rains in the spring. If, after checking the stocks in the barn, they saw a surplus of grain, they expected a large harvest in the summer.

Orthodox holidays on February 14:

Memorial Day of the Holy Martyr Tryphon

Memorial Day of St. Peter of Galatia