On July 19, many countries around the world celebrate New Friends Day. The holiday encourages people to make new friends and expand their social circle. Newly made friends can eventually become real friends who will happily provide support by lending a shoulder in difficult times. Together with them new impressions, ideas and hobbies come into life. New Friends Day calls for attention to the “luxury of human communication,” which the philosopher and humanist Antoine de Saint-Exupery spoke about. On this day, people not only make new friends, but also strengthen relationships that have arisen quite recently. In the USA, New Friends Day is celebrated three times a year - in January, July and October. And every time - on the 19th. Despite the popularity of the services of psychologists, with whom it is customary to share problems, most Americans still rely on human communication. Social support from peers is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. With a joke for life: My husband comes home in the morning. Wife: “Where have you been?!” Husband: “I spent the night with a friend.” A woman calls 9 of her husband’s friends. 6 spent the night but left, 3 is still sleeping. Mostly, friends appear in our lives during its most active periods - while studying at school and college, when visiting clubs and sports sections. In youth, a person’s psyche is most mobile; he more easily perceives a way of thinking different from his own and new ideas. Therefore, it’s easier to make acquaintances, develop hobbies and spark love. With age, psychological flexibility disappears, and the circle of friends narrows. A person burdened with a family has less and less free time and less desire to spend it communicating with strangers. However, psychologists recommend, despite your age, to find time to meet with old friends and expand your social circle by including new ones. With a joke for life: Waiter in a restaurant: “What should I bring you?” "I'll have a latte macchiato." "I'll have a non-alcoholic mojito." "For me, it's an apple smoothie." “And I’ll have a beer and three new friends, please!” Where does a modern person make acquaintances? Of course, online, but it’s better to get out of the virtual world and enrich yourself with the joy of live communication. On New Friends Day, you can go to an exhibition or other event, where there is a great chance to meet like-minded people and start a conversation with a neighbor with whom you had only said hello before. Expand your horizons - sign up for photography or painting courses, visit a philatelist society or a biker club. With a joke about life: Only in Russia, in addition to acquaintances, friends and acquaintances, there is also this type of dating called “drinking together.” The Day of New Friends encourages you to open your soul to the unknown, because each person, as Hegel and other thinkers believed, is a separate Universe. New Friends Day helps enrich our lives with fresh impressions and get to know other people better by establishing friendly relationships. Over time, they can develop into something more, and July 19 will become a special date - the day when true friendship was born.

July 19 is the Day of the Moscow River, the largest waterway in the European part of Russia. Residents of the capital celebrated this holiday for the first time in 2015. According to an analysis of Neolithic sites, people inhabited the river basin back in the Stone Age. Since ancient times, it served as an important transport route connecting the Don and Volga, facilitating trade between the Moscow, Smolensk and Novgorod principalities. The waters of the river were previously inhabited by pike, burbot and pike perch. Today, its waters are home to about 35 species of fish, among which the most common are roach, crucian carp, bream and perch. This is interesting: The Moscow River is famous for its bridges - crossing, railway and road. There are about 40 of them within the city boundaries. The oldest are the Danilovsky, Novospassky and Borodinsky bridges, built between 1907 and 1912, the youngest are the Krylatskaya and Kozhukhovsky bridges, built in 2018 and 2019. According to one of the theories, Mask-uva or Mazg-ava meant “swamp” or “winding river” among the ancient Finno-Ugric peoples. Thus, the village of Luzhnikovo, which appeared in its floodplain in the 15th century, was flooded every spring due to heavy rains. The largest flood was observed in 1908, when the river level rose by 9 meters. The lower floors of a fifth of all the city's buildings went under water, and residents of the capital escaped the elements by climbing to the roofs of houses. The Moscow River, which is fed by groundwater and sediments, has a basin area of ​​more than 17,000 km. It includes 362 rivers (Neglinnaya, Yauza, Pakhra, Ruza, Istra, etc.) and more than 500 streams. From its source to its mouth in Kolomna, where it flows into the Oka, the length of the Moscow River is 473 km. In honor of the important water supply facility of the capital of Russia, annually on July 19th the following are held:• quizzes;• beach competitions;• lectures on ecology;• film screenings;• competitions for making boats and other watercraft from recycled materials;• boating and jet skiing;• events cleaning the bottom of debris with the involvement of volunteers - divers, divers, etc. This is interesting: In 2010, freshwater jellyfish were discovered by vacationers in the Moscow River. Scientists linked their appearance to abnormal summer heat. Due to the increase in water temperature, plankton began to actively develop in it - the main food of hydroid jellyfish. In 2016, the population of crayfish in the water area increased. This led to an increase in the number of beavers and minks living along the banks of the reservoir. On July 19, rental on river buses and ships is free. The main goal of the holiday is to attract the attention of capital residents and tourists to the problems of preserving the water resources of the water area and maintaining its cleanliness. All events held on July 19, Moscow River Day, are aimed at this.

During the 1908 Olympics, Bishop Ethelbert Talbot, speaking at a conference of Anglican priests in London, said: “The games themselves are better than the race and the reward. St. Paul tells us how little the reward means. Our reward is not that perishable, but that which is imperishable." Pierre de Coubertin was inspired by this sermon in honor of the Olympic participants. A couple of days later, at a government banquet, the IOC President will refer to the words of the bishop and formulate the famous “The main thing is not victory, but participation.” In honor of this phrase, a holiday was established, which is celebrated on July 19, the day of the announcement of E. Talbot’s sermon. The motto of the Olympic Games is the well-known “Faster, higher, stronger!”, approved in 1894. However, the words of a bishop from Pennsylvania, which were directly related to sports competitions, became unofficial. The main discipline at the 1908 Games was athletics. To please the Windsor family, who wanted to watch the runners from the balcony of their ancestral castle, the marathon rules were changed. The distance increased from 40 km, for which the athletes were preparing, to 42 km and 195 m. Italian Dorando Pietri became the marathon favorite 3 km before the finish. But due to the intense heat and the start at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the exhausted athlete lost his orientation, changing the direction of his run. The judges who turned him around had to lift the barely alive marathon runner from the ground four times and put him on his feet in the last 200 m of the distance. Pietri finished first, but his victory was contested by the US delegation, whose runner, John Hayes, received a silver medal. The Windsors realized the magnitude of the Italian runner's tragedy and presented him with a special cup as a token of gratitude at the awards ceremony. The story of the marathon runner shocked not only Olympic commentators and reporters, among whom was the writer, “father” of the famous detective Arthur Conan Doyle, but also Bishop Talbot. He allegorically expressed his sympathy for the athlete, mentioning in his sermon words from the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians. From that time on, the path of the expression “The main thing is not victory, but participation” began. With the help of this catchphrase, today they console children who have not achieved the desired heights in sports competitions, schoolchildren who did not become excellent students by the end of the school year. The phrase is also used in an ironic way, assessing the success of outsiders in a particular matter. Psychologists, commenting on the unofficial Olympic motto, confirm that mistakes are the most valuable life experience. Losing confirms that the person tried to achieve the goal and did not give up under the pressure of circumstances. Scientists are echoed by popular wisdom: “For one beaten, they give ten unbeaten.” After the incident at the Olympics, Dorando Pietri became incredibly popular, earning huge amounts of money for that time. He twice, in 1908 and 1909, defeated his counterpart John Hayes in the marathon races, but this, of course, did not help him return the gold medal of the Games. However, the triumph that Pietri won in front of tens of thousands of admired spectators confirmed the validity of the wise idea formulated by de Coubertin: “The main thing is not victory, but participation.”

Summer spoils us with sun and warmth, an abundance of vegetables and fruits. Many varieties of raspberries, one of gardeners' favorite berries, ripen in mid-July. It is used to make compotes, jam and other preparations for the winter. Housewives also love to bake pies with raspberries, inviting relatives and friends for tea. Country gatherings around the round table, which end well after midnight, give peace and comfort to the soul. In honor of this summer tradition, a sweet and touching holiday was invented - Day of Pies with Raspberry Jam. Since ancient times, our ancestors collected delicious aromatic berries in the forests and grew them in the garden. Raspberry pies are prepared all year round, but they are especially tasty during the ripening period. For the filling, berries in sugar syrup are usually used. It’s nice to pamper yourself with baked goods, but it’s even nicer to treat people dear to your heart with them. Since 2015, Russia has celebrated an unofficial holiday - the Day of Pies with Raspberry Jam. By July 19, housewives prepare everyone's favorite pastries, share their recipes, organize feasts, during which they have intimate conversations and, of course, sing. At gatherings they often hear “They tore the sweet berries together, I was alone for the bitter berries”, “The raspberry beckoned us” and other songs. In honor of the celebration, already in the morning housewives begin to make puff pastry, shortbread or yeast dough, and prepare the filling for pies. They are tasted not only by members of the household, but also by strangers who come to city fairs. Those who do not bake pies themselves, but really want to take part in the holiday, visit their mothers and grandmothers. They will not only treat you to homemade pastries, but will also tell you about recipes and traditions of making raspberry pies. In Rus' until the 17th century. It was not sugar that was added to the jam with berries, but molasses, a beekeeping product, or “young” honey. It was liquid and well suited for preparing a traditional dessert, which was considered an expensive delicacy. The berries were also boiled in their own juice and stored in earthenware, sealed with a dense layer of fat. Raspberry leaves were used not only to make healing tea, but also to protect pregnant women from the evil eye. The greatest health benefits come from fresh berries or those that have undergone minimal heat treatment. Vitamin C, which it is rich in, is destroyed by high temperatures. Therefore, it is healthier to eat not jam, but raspberries, grated with sugar. But it is not very suitable for baking. Traditionally, preserves and jams are used for pies. In 1956, Hazuo Tomita announced that he had invented a new dish and patented it. They turned out to be pies, which have been known in Russia since the time of Ivan the Terrible. An enterprising Japanese demanded that he receive a percentage for each culinary product sold in the Land of the Rising Sun. The USSR took part in the trial in Tokyo for several years. Lawyers presented hundreds of documents and evidence that pirozhki have been a national dish of Russian cuisine for more than 500 years. The chef of the Soviet Union embassy in Japan and other witnesses came to the court hearings, and, in the end, justice triumphed. Therefore, the Day of Pies with Raspberry Jam is not only a holiday that gives joy and good mood, but also a triumph of justice.

Muslim New Year is the day of the beginning of the year according to the Islamic calendar. Unlike the Christian world, Muslims do not equate this day with a holiday. Its only peculiarity is the reading of sermons in mosques about the hijra (the great migration of the Muslim community from Mecca to Medina under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad). New Year is not a religious holiday. Each religion has a start date for next year. The Hijri New Year falls on the first day of the month of Muharram according to the Muslim calendar. It is 11-12 days shorter than the Gregorian. This difference is due to the fact that the Muslim year is based on the lunar calendar, while the rest of the world lives according to the solar calendar. Because of these features, the start date of the Muslim new year in the Gregorian calendar is constantly shifted by a certain period (10 days). The vast majority of Islamic countries adhere to a single calendar, but some individual organizations maintain their own calendar and determine the new month based on their observations of the changing phases of the moon. For Muslims, New Year is not a holiday. This is not just about the night before the first day of the month of Muharram. Muslims also do not celebrate the traditional New Year, which begins on January 1st according to the Gregorian calendar. There are only two key holidays in this religion. Why so few? The explanation can be found in the words of the Prophet Muhammad, who, after moving to Medina, noticed that local Muslims celebrated two holidays. He asked what kind of celebrations these were. He was told that they were celebrated even before the advent of Islam. Muhammad asked how exactly the holidays were celebrated? Locals responded that they were just having fun, dancing, walking the streets and visiting relatives. In response, the prophet said that God gave Muslims two holidays - Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. In addition to them, some dates from the Holy Book may be celebrated, but the celebration does not take place on such a large scale.

Americans consider their nation the greatest in the world. Their misconceptions include both the exceptional merit of the US Armed Forces in the victory over Nazism in World War II, and the fact that pizza was invented at the beginning of the twentieth century. in NYC. The first statement causes bewilderment among Russians and representatives of other peoples of the multinational USSR; Italians, of course, will not agree with the latter. But the fact that the national dishes of American cuisine are the hot dog and hamburger is an undeniable fact. In 1986, The Economist first published the Big Mac index, which over time became an unofficial way of changing the purchasing power of the population. Hot dog is the second most popular dish. This type of fast food appeared in the New World in the 19th century. thanks to an emigrant from Germany, whose name has sunk into oblivion. The Germans and Austrians are ready to prove that they were the first to come up with the idea of ​​eating fatty hot sausages, placed in buns for convenience, without cutlery. But be that as it may, in honor of the sausage, served with ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard, a holiday has been established in the USA. Every third Wednesday in July is National Hot Dog Day. The funny holiday appeared in 1957 thanks to the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce. In some states, National Hot Dog Day is celebrated on July 23, which does not in any way affect the scale of the events. In honor of the celebration, master classes and competitions are held in which the winner is the one who ate the most hot dogs. In honor of Independence Day, Americans organize field trips where they eat 150 million “hot dogs,” as the name of the dish is literally translated. In honor of this holiday, records are also set. The latest achievement belongs to actor Joey Chestnut, who ate 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The quality and advertising of the world-famous product is monitored by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. According to the established criteria, the length of the reference sausage should be 15 cm. To prepare the sausage, beef or chicken fillet is usually used. Traditionally, the sausage is topped with mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise. The choice of supplements depends on the preferences of residents of a particular state. In New York, the sausage in a bun is decorated with onions stewed in a creamy sauce, and in Atlanta - with vegetables. In Alabama, they can add peanut butter to a hot dog, in Colorado - green hot peppers, in Illinois - instead of ketchup - a sweet marinade, in Kansas - grated cheese and salted cabbage. It is believed that the hot dog with onions stewed in Coca-Cola, the national American drink, appeared thanks to a certain Mike Anderson. He started selling in the late 90s. XX century on the streets of Alaska, a traditional treat with an unusual taste. M. Anderson offered customers a sandwich with venison sausage and onions caramelized in Coca-Cola. The residents of the state liked the combination so much that they made this hot dog a symbol of Alaska. The average American, despite assurances from nutritionists about the dangers of fast food, eats about 60 battered sausages a year. The hot dog has a lot of admirers in other countries of the world. Therefore, they all join the residents of the United States, who unanimously celebrate National Hot Dog Day on the third Wednesday of July.

Fun Holidays - Stick Out Your Tongue Day

Sysoev Day is celebrated according to the folk calendar on July 19 (July 6, old style). The name of the day is taken from the church calendar, since on this date Orthodox believers honor the memory of Saint Sisoes the Great. Sisoy lived in Egypt, became a monk from a young age and went into solitude in caves. There he stayed for six decades, leading the strict life of an ascetic. For constant prayers and mercy towards others, the Lord endowed Sisoya with the gift of healing the weak. Other monks were often drawn to him in order to learn his wise teachings. A moment before his death, Sisoy informed his disciples that he saw God’s angels and the Most High Himself come. On Sysoev Day, residents prayed to the saint for a successful harvest, since they considered him the patron saint of farmers. On this day, there was a tradition among the people to greet the dawn and honor the dew on the grass. Residents believed that it had magical properties on Sysoya, so they performed special rituals with it. Wanting to preserve youth and beauty, the girls washed themselves with morning dew in the fields. Men rubbed their hands with it to gain strength and energy before a working day. Children were released to frolic in the dew, so with the help of dew, parents protected their offspring from diseases. Livestock was also brought out to the morning fields in order to protect them from pestilence. In addition, the healing moisture was also beneficial to the plants themselves during the heat period. On Sysoev's day, healers went into the forest and filled special vessels with dew. They were kept all year in case of serious illness. This moisture was especially helpful in treating eyes, joints and skin rashes. By adding infusions of medicinal herbs to the dew, folk healers received a more effective drug. From this period, the collection of grain crops from the fields began. To do this, barns and cellars were emptied and cleaned of deposits of last year's products. The men were engaged in this work because they believed that when cleaning, the grasslander woke up - not the good spirit of the house, and only a man could cope with his anger. Women at that time were engaged in collecting berries and making jam from them. If a clear moon was noticed on Sysoev’s day, they prepared for an abundance of harvest. The pale moon announced dry, cool days, the moon with a greenish tint promised the onset of heavy rainfall. Noticing yellowed leaves on the trees, residents expected the rapid onset of autumn. There were a lot of raspberries in the garden during the harsh winter season.

Japan Holidays - Women Ministers Day

Orthodox holidays on July 19:

Feast of the Bogorodsko-Ufa Icon of the Mother of God

Memorial Day of St. Sisoi the Great

Cathedral of Radonezh Saints