January 27 marks the Day of the complete liberation of the city of Leningrad from the siege (1944). Over the years, the name of the holiday itself was changed several times and was finally adopted only in 2014. The siege of Leningrad is one of the most terrible and most courageous pages in the history of the Second World War. There is not a person in the world who has not heard about the heroic fortitude of Leningraders, who defended the city at the cost of their own lives for 872 days and nights. Hitler's government attached special strategic importance to Leningrad. From September 1941 to January 1944, the fascist occupiers tried to take the city. The besieged city stood proudly and unapproachably like a rock. During shelling, continuous bombing, hunger, cold, and disease, about 642 thousand people died, but not a single one surrendered, preferring to die free for the Motherland than to remain alive as a traitor. Siege survivors, from infants to gray-haired old men, are examples of heroic courage inscribed in the annals of our history. The road to victory was long and difficult. Inside the blockade ring, city residents worked hard, devoting their last strength to fight the enemy. The city was starving. The city was dying out. The only hope remained the “Road of Life” along Lake Ladoga, which was constantly under fire from the enemy. Here, every day, every hour, hundreds of people died, cars with food and medicine went under water. And yet, for more than two years, every day in Ladoga they tried to break into besieged Leningrad. Soviet soldiers achieved the impossible. At the cost of enormous human losses, more than 1.5 million people were evacuated from the impregnable city, and about 1.6 million tons of cargo were delivered to the city. Soviet troops made regular attempts to free the prisoners of the northern capital, but they were all in vain until January 1944, when, during the Leningrad-Novgorod operation, Soviet troops managed to strike three main parts of the German army at once, and create a gap up to 11 km wide in tight blockade ring. This made it possible for our army to connect with the city and defeat the enemy’s 16th army. The liberation of Novgorod, Tosno, Pushkin, Krasnoarmeysk followed, and the Oktyabrskaya Railway connecting Moscow and Leningrad came under the control of Soviet troops. And finally, on January 27, 1944, the blockade of the long-suffering hero city, which had survived at the cost of incredible self-sacrifice, was completely lifted. 486 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 8 of them twice, more than 1.5 million people received the medal “For the Defense of Leningrad”. The only time during the war that fireworks were fired in the country was at 8 p.m. on January 27, 1944, in honor of the liberation of the mighty giant city.

On January 27, the entire civilized world celebrates International Holocaust Remembrance Day. It is difficult to call this day a holiday. This is a memorable date calling on all future generations to remember those who laid down their lives on the altar of fascism. “Holocaust” - translated from ancient Greek means “sacrifice”, “burnt offering”. Today this term is associated with the destruction of the Jewish nation by the brutal policies of the Third Reich. It is not known for certain where Hitler and his followers came up with the idea of ​​“cleansing the world of Jews”; opinions about this still differ. On January 27, 1945, the Soviet Army liberated prisoners of the largest death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau, located in Poland near the city of Auschwitz. Historically, it was established that during the reign of the fascist invaders, several tens of thousands of such camps, created for the mass extermination of people, were founded. They were very small, others, like Auschwitz, where about 16 thousand prisoners died every day. The exact number of those killed in the brutal dungeons of Auschwitz has not been established, since the German fascists and their supporters did not keep accurate counts of those who arrived. And subsequently, covering up the traces of their crimes, they completely tried to destroy and burn the remains of their camps. At the Nuremberg trials, the number of victims of Auschwitz identified by that time was announced - 2.8 million people, 90% of whom were Jews. Auschwitz was conceived by the German authorities as a camp for political prisoners of Poles, but after a meeting in 1942 in Berlin, it was decided to almost completely reclassify the camp for a final decision on the issue with the Jewish nation. In addition to Jews, gypsies, mentally ill people, people with incurable diseases, homosexuals, and all those from whom it was necessary to cleanse the world were brought here. Outside the camp gates, prisoners were also selected by so-called doctors, like Clauberg and Mengele. To be experimented on by sadistic doctors was worse for many than to end up in a gas chamber or crematorium. The term "Holocaust" today includes all victims of the brutal policies and ideology of fascism. All those who died in the occupied camps from grueling work, beatings and epidemics, who were shot while trying to escape, who were tortured in sadistic medical laboratories. This is a day of remembrance for those who went through savage camps and survived, and for those who will never leave the thorns of fascist captivity. This date began to be celebrated at the official level in 2006, however, since 1945, no one has ever forgotten how on January 27, Soviet troops freed 7,500 prisoners who remained alive... out of 6 million.

A joyful person who is not used to grieving and is optimistic, appreciates the good and bad manifestations of life. He is ready to love, develop, learn the unknown, be inspired and inspire the people around him. Optimists never lose heart; they are full of strength and energy. A small pleasant event in a series of harsh everyday life is enough for them to perk up and begin to make grandiose plans for the future.

In Transcaucasia, the first country to adopt Christianity was Armenia. This happened in 301. In the same IV century. The religion of Jesus Christ came to Georgia thanks to Saint Nino. A girl from a family of clergy, born in Cappadocia, spent her youth in Jerusalem. In 319, she came to Iveria (present-day Georgia) after seeing the Virgin Mary in a dream. Our Lady encouraged Nino to start preaching Christianity. January 1, the day of the arrival of the enlightener in Mtskheta, is solemnly celebrated by the local Orthodox Church. The second no less significant holiday is the Day of the Blessed Death of St. Nino. The heavenly patroness of Georgia is commemorated on January 27 during religious services in all churches in the country. In honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, 5 churches were built in Tbilisi alone. They celebrate the holiday especially solemnly. A vine cross entwined with the saint's hair is kept in the Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi. Ninooba is a holiday that unites Georgians not only on the days of the arrival of the enlightener Nino and her death. Every year a group of children and teenagers makes a pilgrimage to the places visited by the ascetic after coming to Iberia back in 319. Saint Nino is known not only for baptizing Georgia. Her prayers contributed to the healing of people. Nino restored sight to King Mirian, who ruled the country at that time, who was blinded by a thunderstorm during a hunt. The saint also brought his wife Nana to her feet, who, after the miracle of healing, believed in Christ. The righteous woman through prayer helped Anastasia, the wife of the royal gardener, to recover from infertility. Having learned about Nino’s miraculous power, sufferers from all over Georgia began to flock to her. After the royal family and their relatives were baptized in the Aragvi River, Christianity began to actively spread throughout the country. And in 324 it became the official religion of Iberia. However, its mountainous regions remained unenlightened for a long time. Therefore, Nino went to the upper reaches of the Aragvi and Iori rivers with sermons. From there her path lay east, to Kakheti. While living there, Nino prayed tirelessly, converting the local residents to Christianity. When the mission in Georgia was completed, the saint received a sign of her imminent death. On the eve of her death, she spoke in detail about her apostolic exploits to her disciples. One of them, Seraphima of Ujarma, recorded the stories of the ascetic, which became the basis of the Life of St. Nino. In 335, at the age of 67, the heart of the heavenly patroness of Georgia, after 35 years of apostolic exploits, stopped beating. Nino's body was buried in Bodbe, a village in Kakheti. At the burial site in 334, King Mirian founded a temple in honor of Gregory the Victorious, a relative of Nino. Today it houses a convent. Hundreds of years after her repose, the relics of the preacher heal the suffering, as Nino did during her lifetime, and show other miracles to believers. The Church canonized the righteous woman and equated her with the apostles of Christ. The day of the blessed death of St. Nino is a major public holiday, during which tribute and respect are paid to the heavenly patroness of Georgia.

In countries close to the Arctic Circle, daylight hours are very short and last 5-6 hours. But in the summer, long white nights come as a kind of compensation. The arrival of the warm season is celebrated in Iceland on the third Thursday of April. But the long-awaited awakening of nature, the victory of light over darkness comes much earlier. Local residents observe the first bright rays of the sun in the valleys and foothills at the end of January. According to a long-standing tradition, this prelude of spring is celebrated by everyone, young and old. January 27th is Sun Coffee Day in Iceland. The invigorating drink appeared in Iceland (translated into English as ice - "ice", land - "earth") in 1772. Coffee was in incredible demand, along with tobacco and alcohol. By the end of the 18th century. it has become a favorite drink included in the list of essential products. According to established tradition, which pleasantly surprises tourists, in a pub or restaurant a visitor pays only for the first cup of coffee. All the following do not cost the guest of the establishment a penny. Icelanders drink strong coffee all day long. Residents of settlements located in hollows on the mountain slopes do not see direct sunlight during the winter months due to the rocky terrain. Therefore, the appearance of a golden disk in the sky becomes a big event, which is celebrated with a cup of coffee in hand. Since ancient times, the celebration, due to the characteristics of the landscape of the area, was celebrated in each settlement at different times. But gradually a single date was established - January 27. The first rays of the spring sun are seen by residents of Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The celebration of the luminary and the onset of warmth did not end at sunset. Icelanders stopped celebrating when the long-awaited light of the sun became commonplace. In honor of Sun Coffee Day, it is customary to bake pancakes and brew aromatic coffee. People get together, share news and rejoice in the sun, enjoying its rays. The older generation traditionally does not put sugar in coffee. The chopped piece, sykormoli, is held in the mouth and the drink is sipped from the cup. Young people drink sweet coffee, adding whiskey and other alcohol to the drink. Iceland, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, cannot complain about the lack of heat. The average air temperature on the island in winter is -1°C, in summer - +10°C and above. The sun, floating quite low in the sky in this part of the Earth, rarely pleases Icelanders with its direct rays. Their appearance is a great event and joy for the residents of the country. Therefore, on January 27, a sweet and touching holiday is celebrated - Sun Coffee Day.

The Serbian Orthodox Church received autocephalous status in 1219. Its first archbishop was Saint Sava (in the world - Rostilav Nemanja), who was ordained by Patriarch Manuel I of Constantinople in the presence of the king and nobles. From that moment on, Serbia was divided into 12 dioceses headed by bishops . The activities of Saint Sava contributed to the establishment of statehood and independence of the country. In honor of the founder of the church, Savindan, also known as Spirituality Day and School Day, has been celebrated in Serbia since 1840 on January 27th. Slava is an ancient South Slavic custom of celebrating a family saint. Savva Serbsky is considered the father of education and literature, the patron saint of families, craft workshops and schools. The saint is revered by Romanians, Greeks, Bulgarians and Russians. School Glory Day began to be celebrated in Montenegro in 1856, and in 1878 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sava is celebrated as the patron of education in North Macedonia and some regions of Croatia. Families with children must have an icon of the great ascetic, in front of which they pray at home. The holiday is dedicated to the death day of the Archbishop of Serbia. Saint Sava rested in the Bulgarian city of Tarnovo in 1236 on January 14, old style. The peacemaker and preacher, canonized a year after his death, is considered the creator of the new Serbian state. Thanks to his wisdom, the feuds between Sava's two older brothers were stopped, war did not break out between Bulgaria and the Nicene Empire, and a schism did not occur in the Orthodox Church. The relics of the saint, which are kept in his homeland in the Milesheva monastery, healed many believers. Therefore, on January 27, Serbia celebrates a large temple and family holiday - St. Sava's Day. In ancient times, on the eve of the celebration, it was customary to fast for seven days. On Savitsa they did not eat the meat of four-legged animals, symbolically protecting them from wolves. In this way, people tried to appease the saint, who was considered the patron saint of livestock. Folk signs are also associated with the holiday. Thus, thunder on Savindan foreshadowed the onset of important events in the country. During the celebration of Spirituality Day, divine services are held in many churches in the Balkan countries. The most important thing is held at Vračar in Belgrade, where the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church serves the liturgy. Children do not attend schools and higher education institutions on January 27. In honor of the holiday, the Slavic kalach is consecrated in the Svyatosavvsky center and a solemn ceremony is held. At it, students are awarded certificates, and awards are given to teachers and students, as well as public figures who have made a great contribution to enlightenment and the development of education in Serbia.

Every year on January 27, Russia celebrates Press Day, or Media Day, of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The holiday was established in 1804 by Prince Kochubey Viktor Pavlovich, the first Russian Minister of Internal Affairs in history. The beginning of its celebration is considered to be the publication of the first issue of the monthly magazine of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia - “St. Petersburg Journal”. For the ministry, the appearance of its own printed publication was an important event. The magazine published reports, ministerial decrees, news, and articles related to the activities of the department. The press of the Ministry of Internal Affairs plays an important role today. Printed and online publications, television and radio cover the activities of structural divisions of internal affairs, publish materials about employees and veterans of the service, reports on the results of work, and information that shapes public opinion about the functioning of the department. Thanks to journalists, society is getting an idea of ​​the difficult and necessary work of the police, protecting public order and people’s safety, of the migration service, and of the activities of drug control departments. From the materials of the writers, ordinary citizens learn about the heroism of police officers, selfless dedication to the cause, a positive opinion is formed and the authority of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs increases. Journalists in uniform interact closely with police officers, receive “hot” information first-hand, often risking their lives. Thanks to the work of correspondents, printing workers, editors, photographers, and announcers, the openness of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is ensured, and society is provided with reliable and timely information about current events. On January 27, congratulations are accepted not just by press workers, but by professionals with a capital “P”, distinguished by their integrity, courage and bravery. The tasks of the Ministry of Internal Affairs media include educational, explanatory and informational work. Timely published material can save lives and prevent threats and unrest in society.

According to the folk calendar, January 27 (January 14, old style) is celebrated as Nina's Day, also called cattle rites. The day received its name from the church date of honoring Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, who became the educator of Christianity in Georgia in the 4th century. Nina was raised in a wealthy Christian family. In adolescence, the girl had a vision in which the Most Holy Theotokos instructed her to educate the Georgian people about Christianity. Arriving in Georgia, Nina told the people about the great deeds of Christ and helped them believe in one God. With her prayers the saint healed Queen Nana, after which she changed her idolatry to Christianity. Nina also managed to persuade the king of Georgia and his retinue to believe. The holiday was named the rite of cattle due to the care of peasants for livestock on Nina's day. The owners cleaned the barns, took out manure, covered the floor with straw, and treated the animals to freshly baked flatbread, carrots, and apples. The day was considered a working day, so the peasants also did chores. But the cows received more attention. The reason was the approaching calving of the animal - the time of appearance of the calves. Cows were always treated with respect; they were extremely rarely slaughtered for meat, and even then they had not calved. The owners did not eat such meat, but took it to the market to sell. They believed that cattle were capable of shedding tears for their deceased owner. It was believed that milk from a black cow could extinguish a fire. Milk also helped with fresh burns. If a black or red cow appeared in a dream, the person would die. When marrying a daughter, noble parents always gave a cow as part of the dowry. On Nina's day, the upcoming weather was determined by signs. So the haze around the month foreshadowed snowfall. If the roosters crowed earlier than usual or frost lay on the bark of the trees, the onset of heat was expected. The cloudy sky promised severe frosts. Crows screaming in the morning predicted an approaching snowstorm.

January 27 and September 10 are Port Wine Day. On this holiday, all lovers of strong drink have an excellent reason to drink a couple of glasses once again. What associations do you have with the word “port”? In our country there is a misconception about this drink. For many, it has become the personification of cheap and affordable alcohol with a high degree of alcohol, which allows a person to quickly reach the desired “condition”. Inexpensive and very cheerful. In fact, what we often call port are imposter drinks. They appropriated the name of the noble drink with impunity and spoiled its reputation. Let's get acquainted with the real hero of the day - exquisite Portuguese port. In the 17th century, the British came to blows with France. A series of colonial conflicts between states subsequently became unofficially called the "Second Hundred Years' War". While politicians played their games and actively divided spheres of influence, it was ordinary citizens who suffered first of all from their actions. France has been supplying its wines to England for a long time. When relations between countries deteriorated, the distribution routes for alcoholic beverages were blocked. The British were left without wine, so businessmen began to look for alternative options and turned their attention to the Portuguese wine regions. On the border of Spain and Portugal is the Douro Valley. Here is the famous Alto Douro wine region, and on the local slopes today, as many centuries ago, grapes for port wine are grown, which made these places famous. All products from the high mountain vineyards flocked to the city of Porto, where the British became frequent guests. According to the most common legend, merchants from Liverpool arrived here in 1678 to purchase a shipment of wine from the Abbot of Lameg. He treated the customers to local fortified wine, which was called port here. The British liked the drink flavored with cognac alcohol. It is this moment that is considered to be a turning point in the history of port wine, which the Portuguese began to export first to England and then to other European countries. Cognac spirit was added to Portuguese wine not only for taste. Such a drink could be transported by sea for many months, and it still would not spoil. Ordinary wine could not always be delivered to the port in proper form, since sailing ships were used for transportation, which could take a long time to reach their destination. Initially, alcohol was added to ready-made wine, but port wine production technology has improved over the years. The drink was fortified during the fermentation process, which had a positive effect on its taste. Towards the end of the 17th century, the name "porto" became the official name for wines that were produced only in the Portuguese Douro Valley. In England, where the drink very quickly won the hearts of the locals, it began to be called “vino-porto” or “porto-wine”. Over time, this name turned into the well-known “port wine” to all of us. The alcohol that is added to the wine gives the drink a characteristic cognac aroma, but its bouquet has another dominant note - a fruity tone. It is obtained by infusing the wort on the pulp or by heating the latter to a certain temperature. Real port wine is an exquisite, noble drink that is made only from the five best grape varieties and aged in oak barrels for at least two years. Like wine, it can be white or red. Not long ago, one of the oldest producers of Portuguese port wines released a new product - a pink drink. It is believed that red ports have a richer, more intense and multifaceted taste. They have their own hierarchy. The youngest drinks are aged in barrels for no more than two years. They are characterized by burning fruity notes. The most expensive red ports languish in barrels for 30-40 years. As a rule, the best grapes of the most productive years are used for their production. This port does not have the expression of a young drink. It has a well-balanced, elegant taste with notes of dried fruits and nuts.

Saint Sarkis Day is an Armenian holiday with centuries-old traditions, but it began to be officially celebrated in the country only in 2007. Every year the holiday date changes; it is celebrated on one of the days from late January to mid-February. This saint is one of the most revered and respected among Armenians; people turn to him for help and, as church ministers say: if you turn to the saint on this day, he will definitely hear the request. Saint Sarkis was a commander and lived under the ruler Constantine the Great. Thanks to his skill as an orator and the gift of persuasion, under his influence many soldiers decided to undergo the rite of baptism. Another beautiful legend has survived to this day, thanks to which Saint Sarkis became the heavenly patron of lovers. Legend says that, having returned from the campaign, he and his comrades went to the palace to celebrate the victory. The king gave a secret order to forty young beauties to kill all the warriors while they slept. 39 women could not disobey their king and carried out the assignment. Only one young woman, looking at the sleeping commander, could not do this, because she fell in love with him. Instead of taking his life, she took and kissed the sleeping man. This kiss saved his life, as he woke up and was able to leave the palace, taking his savior with him. Since then, Saint Sarkis has been considered the patron saint of lovers, and young couples on the feast of Saint Sarkis always pray for their love, asking for blessings and protection. For those who are still single, Saint Sarkis can show future love in a dream. To do this, the night before the holiday they eat a salty pancake, and no other food. If this condition has been met, then in a dream you can see your future destiny. In Yerevan, in the Church of St. Sarkis, a liturgy is held on the holiday, and the holiday itself is preceded by a five-day fast.

Orthodox holidays January 27:

Nina lived at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries; she was born and spent her adolescence in Cappadocia in a Christian family. Her uncle on her mother’s side was the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and her father’s distant relative was the Great Martyr George. From her teacher, Elder Nianfora, the young Christian first heard about the distant country of Iveria (the ancient name of Georgia), which became the first destiny of the Mother of God herself. The girl learned that a great relic was kept there - the Robe of the Lord. The robe of Christ was miraculously transferred from Jerusalem to the Iberian city of Mtskheta. After hearing what she heard, Nina dreamed of going to a distant country and worshiping a Christian shrine. And indeed, fate prepared her way to Iveria, but this happened along with tragic events. The cruel emperor Diocletian came to power; from the first days of his reign, the ruler began persecuting Christians. Forty young Christian virgins, among whom was Nina, were forced to flee from imperial persecution. The girls’ path lay through Armenia, where the Armenian king drew attention to one of them, Princess Hripsimiia. The beauty rejected the ruler's claims, which attracted anger towards herself and her friends. By order of the king, all the girls were stabbed to death, and only Nina managed to escape. In a prayer vision, the future saint saw the Virgin Mary and an angel. The Mother of God handed the girl an Orthodox cross woven from a grapevine and blessed her on her way to Iberia. So, under the protection of the Mother of God, the fugitive finds herself in the region where the Robe of the Lord was kept, where she will have to bear God’s word. The righteous faith of the enlightener performed many miracles in Mtskheta. Through her prayer, pagan idols fell to the thunderclaps. The childless couple who sheltered the saint now have a long-awaited heir. Thanks to Nina, the Iberian Queen Nana was healed, and then converted to Christianity. King Miriat at first hated the meek saint, but after miraculously being delivered from blindness, he was baptized along with all his courtiers. In just a few years, Georgia becomes a Christian region. The saint discovered the storage site of the greatest Christian shrine - the Lord's Chiton, and at her prompting, a majestic temple was erected there. But even after these achievements, Nina did not leave missionary activity. She goes high into the mountains. There, in secluded gorges, lived pagans, to whom the word of God had not yet reached. After the enlightener’s sermons, they became true followers of Christ. Next, the saint goes to Kakheti to the village of Bodbe, where she lives on a mountain slope in a tiny tent. She continues to preach and help all those in need. Having received a revelation about her imminent death, Nina turned to the ruler of Iberia with a request to send a bishop to her. King Miriat not only sent a priest, but he himself, along with the clergy, went to the saint. They witnessed numerous miracles that accompanied the last days of the Equal-to-the-Apostles and were present at her death. Nina bequeathed to bury herself in Bodbe, and the coffin with her body miraculously became so heavy that it became impossible to send it to Mtskheta. Afterwards, at the burial site of the enlightener, a temple was erected in honor of her distant relative, the Great Martyr George, and nearby a convent in memory of the saint herself.

Memorial Day of the Sinai and Raifa Saints