Caring for one's own interests is an integral quality of a person, which is the key to survival in the world around us. “Love your neighbor as yourself,” Christ urged. In essence, selfishness is a way of maintaining the status quo of an individual in society and the key to establishing interpersonal relationships. A person who does not have an inferiority complex and loves himself is able to experience a similar feeling towards other people. To an extreme degree, concentration on one's own interests harms both the individual and his environment. Therefore, May 11th is celebrated as World Ego Awareness Day, encouraging people to have a balanced ego state and self control. Folk wisdom also contains denial of such an attitude towards the world around us. The statement of a self-centered approach is present in many proverbs and sayings: “Every hand grabs its own,” “A tooth doesn’t hurt behind someone else’s cheek,” “It’s not up to your friend, it’s up to your belly,” “If a horse is not mine, then the wolf eats it!” ", "My grief is an arrow in me, someone else's grief is an arrow in a stump." However, popular sayings are a demonstration of an ironic and disapproving attitude towards this position in life. And indeed, self-love and concern exclusively for personal interests have nothing to do with the generosity of the soul and the manifestation of selfless love for one’s neighbor. A person who insists exclusively on his own point of view is called an egocentric. This form of thinking is characteristic of children. But as she grows up, she transforms into higher qualities in terms of morality and ethics. Egoism and egocentrism are unproductive personality traits. They are opposed to conscious altruism. Remember the reasoning of the Monkey from the famous cartoon “38 Parrots”, full of deep meanings? “It’s very interesting to be well-mannered! You’ll offer someone something. Someone will offer you something. Beauty!” This means that caring for others is not only right, but also beneficial. World Ego Awareness Day calls for abandoning the consumerist attitude towards people and living solely in one’s own interests. Focusing only on one's desires and needs brings results here and now, while in the long run a person will have to pay and bitterly regret this choice. In an allegorical form, this idea is present in many ancient chronicles and oral folk art. “A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather stones,” said King Solomon. “What you sow, so shall you reap,” Russian folk wisdom said long before the appearance of the Old Testament and Ecclesiastes. Love for one's neighbor, generosity of soul and self-sacrifice are considered the norm of life. Selfish Awareness Day, which is celebrated annually on May 11, calls for attention to this.

An unofficial holiday when anyone can afford to eat whatever they want, without regard to diets or food restrictions. This unconventional holiday was invented by Thomas Roy and his wife Ruth. They founded their Wellcat Holidays brand by adding over 80 fun, creative opportunities to make life better. They became very popular after publications by leading media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, television shows, and Internet advertising. Unique designer holidays have attracted the attention of many people who are determined to live more cheerfully and positively. And what can allow you to enjoy life more than the additional opportunity to have a delicious meal with friends and family. Take a break from your daily struggle with excess weight at least for one day: this is how your stomach wins over your brain. Some nutritionists have backed the approach: By constantly eating low-calorie, tasteless food, your determination to go all the way in the battle for a small waist can melt away. There are also active opponents of this holiday, which has gained wide popularity among the American population, and over time in other countries. Opponents provide specific figures. The United States has been at the top of the rankings for obesity rates in recent years: more than 32% of the population has been diagnosed. The seriousness of diseases directly related to excess body weight is evidenced by the fact that diets make not only the waist thinner, but also the American budget. 70 billion dollars are spent on treatment annually. But these data do not stop optimists. All people are different and will celebrate based on personal gastronomic preferences, the main thing is that everything is allowed. Gourmets choose to go to a luxurious restaurant awarded with Michelin stars. Someone will want to enjoy the comfort of family and celebrate at home, preparing a dish according to a family recipe. Strict vegetarians eat steak on May 11 because they want to. In big cities there are festivals of street food and culinary art. In many small towns and suburbs, enthusiasts try to create their own local atmospheric holiday with the obligatory attributes in the form of tables, stages, tents right on the street, because on a spring day you just want to have fun and eat delicious food. Everyone is given the opportunity to forget about dietary trends and allow any food excesses. Many people take this too literally, replacing quality of food with quantity. The holiday is a success when French fries, burgers, peanut butter, pizza, and popcorn are washed down with a huge amount of soda. Nutritionists advise not to allow May 11, having the status of a holiday, to turn into a day of mourning and remembrance for lost health and thin waist.

The earth is a living, highly organized organism that needs the careful treatment of people. The planet is our common home. Caring for the environment is one of the important components of preserving living and inanimate nature. Every person should think about what he will leave behind for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A land with wild rivers and seas teeming with fish, green forests with singing birds, where thousands of species of animals find refuge? A lifeless planet, whose resources are depleted due to thoughtless economic activity? In order for a baby to grow up strong, healthy and self-confident, from birth he needs to be surrounded by affection and care. Parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers give love to a child. Growing up, a person begins to understand how important it is to experience tenderness and affection for loved ones. Over time, he realizes that pets, flowers in the garden, and the entire animal and plant world of the planet need to be shown love and care. A holiday was established to attract public attention to the problems of the surrounding world. May 11th is the Day of Love for Nature. Air pollution from exhaust gases and industrial emissions, water pollution from household waste and oil spills from the ocean, soil pollution from chemicals and nuclear waste negatively affects the state of the biosphere. Disturbances in the chain of links in the ecosystem lead to a malfunction of the entire complex. Environmental problems affect both people and animals and plants, leading to their extinction. Every year, the Red Book is replenished with hundreds of species of flora and fauna that are on the verge of extinction. The thinning of the ozone layer under the influence of chlorofluorocarbons leads to an excess of UV radiation, which, in turn, causes eye pathologies and skin cancer in people. Polluted air with a high content of heavy metals causes diseases of the respiratory system, and vegetables and fruits grown with the help of soil-depleting pesticides cause disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract. But man uses nature not only for utilitarian purposes. The sound of the forest, the smell of ozone in the air after rain, and the singing of birds calm the nervous system; green oak groves and flowering fields bring aesthetic pleasure. Regardless of cultural preferences due to belonging to any ethnic group or nation, living nature attracts the eye and excites the soul, causing admiration for its pristine beauty and perfection. The holiday, celebrated on May 11, calls not only to think about protecting the environment from anthropogenic impact, but also to enjoy the harmony of the universe, of which Homo sapiens is a part. Therefore, love for nature is a person’s love for himself as an important component of the Earth’s biosphere.

Perfectionists have their home and car, their work, and their appearance in perfect condition. A suit that is ironed like a brand new, a skirt without a single crease, a starched shirt and shiny shoes... All these details speak of the wardrobe owner’s desire for perfection. For people with an excellent student complex, there are no unimportant matters or insignificant details. Everyone who wants to be the best even in small things celebrates the fun Ironing Shoes Day on May 11th. An impeccable appearance is the privilege of not only perfectionists, but also of crowned heads. The valet of Charles III, who was called Prince Charles until the death of Elizabeth II, monitors the condition of the monarch's clothes and linen. He shakes dust from the king's clothes, checks for buttons on his coats and jackets. The assistant not only helps the monarch get dressed, but also, in emergency cases, squeezes toothpaste onto his brush. The valet had to do this for six weeks after 10-year-old Charles injured his arm while playing polo. And no matter how strange it may seem to the average person, the king’s assistant irons flat laces for sports shoes so that they can be tied into a beautiful knot. This requirement has nothing to do with the protocol and is a whim of the monarch. Prince Charles's childhood was spent in Spartan conditions - Elizabeth II and her husband Philip sent their son, who grew up as a sickly and whiny child, to a boarding school, where he was supposed to mature. The timid and insecure boy was bullied by his peers, making the queen's son a scapegoat. Due to almost military drill during his stay at Gordon Stone School, Charles developed strange habits. One of them is the craving for ironed laces. For educational purposes in the army, a soldier may be ordered to clean the toilet with a toothbrush or brush the floors of the toilet with it. When the leadership arrives at the military unit in the off-season, they paint the grass on the parade ground green and follow other instructions. In civilian life, such demands seem ridiculous and absurd. In everyday life, as a negative response to a request to do something unwanted, the expression is often used: “Can’t you iron your shoelaces?” This phrase means a refusal dressed in a humorous form. Such irony is unlikely to make a perfectionist smile. People striving for perfection are ready to be content with only the best and are guided in life by the statement of A.P. Chekhov: “Everything in a person should be beautiful: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts.” Therefore, everyone who strives for an impeccable appearance celebrates an unusual holiday on May 11 - Ironed Laces Day.

The international holiday is celebrated twice a year - on the second Saturday of May and October. As a rule, events dedicated to this date also cover the next day - Sunday. The holiday gained international significance in 2006; before that, it was actively celebrated in the United States on the initiative of local ornithologists. The problems of migratory birds are part of the global environmental challenges facing the world community. The most important component is providing the opportunity for birds to freely and safely change their seasonal location between nesting and wintering sites. The development of industry, various types of transport, the development of new territories, all progressive phenomena and events that improve people's lives can threaten extinction for birds. In turn, the migration of feathered representatives of the ecosystem affects the overall balance of nature and becomes a kind of marker of climate change and the health of our planet. For more than a hundred years, careful treatment of birds has been promoted. In 1902, the Convention for the Protection of Birds, but only those important for agriculture, was signed for the first time. In 1918, the Treaty on Migratory Birds was signed, which Russia also adheres to. In 1950, a more general International Convention covering the protection of all species was signed in Paris. Violations of these agreements, unfortunately, continue to be considered in the courts, which indicates that the problem has not been resolved. So in 2009, the oil corporation Exxon Mobil was found guilty of the death of birds due to the action of drilling rigs. On this special day, ornithologists and ecologists call for all means to maintain natural conditions for reproduction and hatching of eggs of migratory species as another measure to prevent environmental disaster. And government bodies, environmental organizations, and communities hold specific public events: they organize lectures and seminars in schools and universities. All ongoing promotions and festive events are dedicated to a specific topic, the relevance of which is indicated in advance. The 2017 motto is: "Migratory Birds: Their Future is Our Future." Bird festivals and excursions are organized for everyone. There are more and more fans of this type of leisure activity such as birding - watching birds in their natural habitat. Joint actions by the government, public organizations and the entire world community aimed at complying with the UN environmental program will help ensure the survival of migratory species and will not allow them to get lost, leaving summer and winter habitats intact.

International Eurovision Song Contest - final (Eurovision Song Contest)

The 2nd Saturday of May is World Fair Trade Day - the day when the whole world rethinks the main principles of fair trade in a philosophical and practical way. Manufacturers and merchants from different countries hold thematic business meetings, exhibitions and conferences. The noble “mission” of the holiday is to promote the principles of fair trade and honest business in accordance with international regulations. The main topics of condemnation are child labor, slave bondage, inflated prices and disruption of production ecosystems. Since ancient times, trade has been associated with fraud and deception. It is no coincidence that the patron saint of merchants, Mercury, wore winged sandals in order to quickly hide in case of emergency. He was an ardent champion of swindlers and thieves. It just so happens that the very concept of fair trade has an irrational meaning. However, in 1940, the beginning of the commercialization of goods from the “fair chain” was laid. The 10 Thousand Villages organization began supplying handmade goods (jute products, embroidery on textiles) to developing countries. The product was more of a symbol confirming the donation. In the 60s, hippies were “ostracized” by powerful monopoly companies. They opposed hard work in factories and farms. The first store where ethical goods were presented appeared in Britain. The alternative trade store operated on the principle of “we help by selling.” On the counters were dolls, tom-toms, masks and other handicrafts. The shop gained popularity, and similar stores began to open in other European countries. In the 1980s, a new social movement called fair trade emerged. All products became subject to mandatory certification and labeling. A common motto was coined: “Fair trade is not aid.” The Fairtrade label is evidence that environmentally friendly raw materials were used in the production of the product, no chemicals were released into the soil, working conditions complied with international standards, and child labor was not involved. Products with a “fair label” are often more expensive than their analogues, but many consumers consciously prefer this category of products. Labeling allows you to track the entire commodity chain, from the origin of the product, production, delivery, to the act of purchase. Fair trade principles: • creating conditions for small and unprofitable companies to enter the market; • absolute business transparency and a simple participation algorithm; • fair price according to location, which covers the built-in cost and development costs; • equality of men and women in the status of participants in the movement; • humane working conditions. The main group of goods are export products from third world countries. The register of products includes: bananas, coffee, tea, honey, oranges, cocoa, fruits, vegetables, spices, nuts, wine, etc. Manufacturing companies that adhere to fair trade laws label their products with a single sign. Manufacturer consolidation advocates for labor, ethical, social and environmental regulatory standards. The organizer of the movement is the World Fair Trade Organization.

Holland is an amazing country of tulips, delicious cheese, windmills and bicycles. Here these two-wheeled vehicles are found everywhere. They are used by elderly people and children, adults and teenagers, businessmen and ordinary workers, men, women and even nuns. In their passion for bicycles, local residents unite every year on the second Saturday of May and go to parks and country trips - for picnics or regular walks. In this way they celebrate the annual date of Cyclist Day. Despite the lack of official status, this holiday is quite popular in the state. The popularity of this transport is due not only to the ideal climatic conditions for cycling, but also to its well-developed infrastructure. Almost all cities have special bicycle tracks and traffic lights. The Dutch spend virtually their entire life on a bicycle saddle: without getting up from the seat, they can flirt, write SMS, eat and hold umbrellas from the downpour. Today in the Netherlands even law enforcement officials ride bicycles. There are numerous rental points for tourists. People often forget exactly where they left their bike. Then they sadly rust under the rain, turning into an integral part of the Dutch landscape. The average resident of the Netherlands has several bicycles at his personal disposal. When traveling regularly, the Dutch tend to choose the most ordinary, mostly old, two-wheeled “friends”. You don't mind parking them in the free parking lot right on the street. It is these bicycles that are most often stolen in public places, despite the several locks used by the owner. The cost of a normally working, maintained bike is about 50-80 euros. You will have to spend a lot more money when purchasing quality locks for such a vehicle. More expensive models, which have several speeds in their arsenal, are used only for recreational purposes (sports, recreation, and tourism). Without a clear need, the Dutch do not park such bicycles near shops, in the subway or other public places. Usually they are left either in guarded parking lots or at home. • According to statistics, there are 18 million bicycles in the country, so on average there are 1.3 vehicles for every Dutch person. 84% of people have a personal bicycle. • 17,075 km of bicycle lanes and 1,909 km of roads have been built on the territory of the state. • The approximate speed of cycling is about 15-18 km/h. • About 900 thousand bicycles are stolen every year. • The average distance covered by local residents every day by bicycle is 2.5 km. Approximately 900 km increases per year. • Every year in the Netherlands the state spends 400 million euros on the development of cycling infrastructure. According to historical data, during the Second World War, German soldiers greatly angered the inhabitants of Holland by encroaching on their bicycles. Different versions of these events differ quite a bit in detail. According to the main version, German patrol officers, tired of running after Dutch cyclists who did not obey the new rules, began to take away vehicles from all people and dump them into the nearest canals. Other sources report that the German soldiers simply took the bicycles during the retreat, most likely to avoid having to leave on foot. After all, the Dutch have not been able to forget the loss and, every time, during football competitions between Germany and Holland, you can often hear cries calling for the return of the bicycles. Cyclist Day in the Netherlands is traditionally celebrated on a weekend. People go on bicycle rides, country picnics and excursions.

The ancient culture of the Middle East made great contributions to the development of philosophy, mathematics, literature and the visual arts. UNESCO's Intangible Heritage of Humanity includes Arabic calligraphy, falconry, Nowruz and Bedouin weaving. Belly dancing, an oriental belly dance, has also enriched world culture. Herodotus wrote about the traditions of the ancient people living in the Nile Valley to cheerfully conduct religious rites and pagan holidays. From the culture of music and dance, women's belly dancing was born with its flexible body movements and rhythmic swaying of the hips. The belly dance technique has a long history. The Old Testament mentions a scene with a dance performed for the biblical king Herod Antipas by the daughter of his wife Salome. In Europe, belly dancing gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today it is the hallmark of many Eastern countries. World Belly Dance Day is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of May. In honor of World Belly Dance Day, competitions, performances and master classes are held. Dance technique requires a woman to have good physical fitness and endurance, helping to keep the muscles of the whole body toned. But belly dancing is a skill not only in performing movements with the stomach and hips, but also as a tactic for seducing a man. At the heart of every movement is passion and sexual appeal. Therefore, belly dancing is rightfully considered one of the most erotic types of dance, which is why it spread beyond the Middle East. The first European shows with belly dance performers took place in 1889 in Paris. After a while, nightclubs where belly dancing performances took place opened in his homeland of Cairo. The performers enriched the technique with new elements, for example, serpentine hand movements, and used scarves and veils, bracelets and other accessories to give belly dancing an oriental flavor. Mastering belly dancing is an opportunity to broaden your horizons and become more familiar with Eastern culture. There are Turkish, Egyptian and Arab schools of belly dancing. The traditional costume of the performer is a bodice, belt and trousers richly decorated with stones, rhinestones and sequins. The woman's technique and outfit changes to a turban, pantaloons or circle skirt, depending on the choice of one of 50 dance styles. In addition to physical fitness and excellent muscle tone, the benefit of belly dancing is that it allows you to better understand the cultural differences of the peoples of the Middle East. The final part of fitness-bellydance classes is filled with elements of meditative therapy. Dance helps make the body graceful and flexible, and the brain plastic. Therefore, World Belly Dance Day is becoming more and more popular from year to year among fans of Arabic dance culture in Europe and other countries of the world.

National Miller's Day in the Netherlands

Russian Holidays - Metro Police Day

According to the folk calendar, Birch is celebrated on May 11 (April 28, old style). So the holiday is named after birch sap. There was a popular belief that on a given day, the sap collected from a birch tree was endowed with healing powers. Therefore, folk healers went to birch groves to collect it. From time immemorial, the birch has been called the tree of life. The people believed that it contained healing magic, could increase fertility and protect against evil spirits. Therefore, young spouses were lightly whipped with its branches so that they would have healthy children. Cribs for newborns were made from birch. Wreaths of birch branches were hung in huts and stables to ward off evil spirits. The sap was collected from mature birch trees: a small hole was drilled in the trunk and a container was placed for the liquid. Then the hole was sealed with wax so as not to ruin the tree. It was believed that the most delicious and healthy juice could be collected from the top of the trunk. However, it was collected only in clear weather; rain or fog was unsuitable weather. The collected juice was used to treat various diseases: rheumatism, arthritis, headaches, diseases of the respiratory system, skin, kidneys and bladder. Also, drinking birch sap strengthened the immune system due to the content of beneficial vitamins and microelements. Birch sap also helped in healing wounds and ulcers. In Berezosok, people with fever were brought to the healers. They were wiped with melted snow collected in advance in March, or with rainwater. Then they were given infusions of birch sap. Doctors read healing spells over the sick. In addition to birch tinctures, on this day, healers prepared medicines from nettle, plantain and coltsfoot. On this day, the wind blowing from the south was considered healing. They believed that its breath helped improve health. Some even caught it in small bags - amulet. To do this, at lunchtime they went out to a hill in the village or at the intersection of streets and performed a ritual of catching the wind. Then a thread was attached to the amulet and hung around the neck, so that the created amulet would protect against illnesses. If you observed clear weather on Berezosok after dawn, you were preparing for a hot summer. A rainy summer was expected if the wind blew from the south. The starry, warm night promised increased yields. A day without butterflies meant windy and cold weather. Awakening oak buds announced the beginning of legume planting, and the flowering of a birch - the sowing of oats.

Orthodox holidays today:

On May 11, the Holy Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of St. Cyril of Turov, nicknamed the “Russian Chrysostom” for the rich spiritual heritage created by this Christian educator. Kirill was born in the Old Russian state of the early 12th century in the center of the Principality of Turov. The saint came from a noble and wealthy family, which allowed him to receive a decent education, despite the fact that the Turov lands were not a cultural center of their time. Perhaps the boy’s spiritual teachers were the close associates of the Greek woman Varvara, the widow of Prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich, who arrived in Turov with her children and retinue. As a result of his studies, young Kirill mastered Old Church Slavonic and figurative folk languages, studied the refined culture of Byzantium, including its poetry and eloquence. The noble origin and wealth of the family opened many doors for the heir, but the future saint renounces the family inheritance and chooses the spiritual path. He takes monastic vows at the Boris and Gleb Monastery and soon becomes the abbot of the monastery, where he decides to introduce the Judicial Rule of Monastic Life, which is more strict. But Cyril’s innovations did not take root in the monastery, and, leaving the rank of abbot, the saint went into seclusion and became a hermit. Kirill Turovsky, secluded in his cell, devotes all his time to prayers and studying spiritual literature. In his hermitage he was accompanied by a rich library, with the help of which the saint created many theological works. Kirill's works become known not only to the monastic brethren, but also reach the princely circle and the common people. The obvious talent of the “Russian Chrysostom” could not remain in seclusion; at the behest of the ruler of Turov and with the approval of the inhabitants of the principality, the hermit was ordained a bishop. Continuing to create written masterpieces, Kirill began preaching activities, the fame of which would spread throughout Rus'. At the end of his life's journey, the saint again retired to a monastery monastery, where he became a schema-monk. Descendants appreciated the literary works of Kirill Turovsky. The surviving texts are included in many church collections, along with the work of prominent Byzantine preachers and theologians. The Russian Orthodox Church canonized him as a saint; today he is one of the most revered saints in Belarus; the theological academy in Minsk is named after him. On the icons the saint is depicted as a white-bearded old man in episcopal robes with a richly decorated book in his hands, reminiscent of his great works.

The Easter holiday among Orthodox believers lasts a whole week, which is called Bright Week. Each year it falls on different dates in April and May, starting immediately after the Resurrection of Christ and ending on Krasnaya Gorka. Divine services in churches in honor of the holiday are held with the Royal Doors open, joyful church chants and bells are constantly heard. All believers are allowed to call them at any time of the day for seven days. Baptisms, weddings and funeral services are not held on Bright Week. After the liturgy, a procession of the cross takes place around the temple. Bright Week is dedicated to doing good deeds - helping others, which includes giving alms to the poor and needy. It was believed that these days the Lord and the apostles wander the earth under the guise of beggars, so donations take on a special meaning. Orthodox Christians try to give up hard work, which is not associated with celebration and fun, and, if possible, perform simple household chores. Throughout Bright Week, also called Easter, the greeting “Christ is Risen!” is heard. The origins of such a long celebration lie in the Bible and religious canons. So, according to the Old Testament, God needed 7 days to create the world and man. Bright Week passes “as one day,” which symbolizes eternal salvation. Each day of Easter week is unique and, according to folk traditions, has a name and rules of celebration. In honor of the holiday, our ancestors went on this day to visit relatives and friends with cottage cheese Easter cakes, Easter cakes on dough with candied fruits and raisins, as well as colored eggs. This promised the owners of the house good luck and prosperity throughout the year until next Easter. On this day, girls gave colored eggs to the boys, and they doused them with water to make their lovers even more beautiful and healthy. Each religious procession around the temple after the service ends with the sprinkling of the believers. On Wet Monday, young and old alike poured themselves at wells and springs to improve their health and wash away illness. In honor of the holiday, latecomers were doused with cold water during morning prayer, as it was believed that absence from church for the liturgy could bring trouble to the family. Women went to visit with Easter cakes and eggs, while men and children stayed at home to farm. On Tuesday, like other days, it is forbidden to swear, overeat and drink a lot of alcohol. Throughout Bright Week, it is customary to read the troparion, kontakion and ipaka of the Hours of Easter. Visiting cemeteries and commemorating the dead is not encouraged. On this day, various fun activities were arranged, swinging on a swing, which, according to popular belief, was supposed to remove all negativity from a person. The girls danced in circles and sang songs. Wednesday was also called "Gradova". It was believed that hard work done on this day could cause hail and destroy the harvest. On Bright Wednesday, candles were placed in churches to protect crops from this natural phenomenon. On this day, the ban on remembering the dead was lifted, but this had to be done without grief, with light sadness. To visit the souls of the dead, doors were opened wide and towels hung on the windows. According to tradition, they went to cemeteries and left Easter eggs and colored eggs there on the graves. The ancient Slavs called Thursday “Navsky” because of the symbolic arrival of the departed from the world of Navi. Bridal viewings were held in the villages. The girls dressed up in their best clothes, the guys put on beautiful shirts. In addition to the shows, spring calls were traditionally held. The girls climbed the hills and hills and invited the warm sun, which would give a good harvest. On this day, it is customary to make peace and forgive offenders. On Bright Friday, the icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring” is venerated, so the church illuminates the believers with water and sprinkles the gardens and orchards with it. Relatives come to the homes of recently married couples. The young hostess sets the table and generously treats the guests. On Bright Friday, girls wash their faces with ice water to preserve their beauty. On this day, after the service, believers are given special bread with the image of a cross - artos. Pieces of it are kept at home near the icons until next Easter. Artos is given little by little to a sick person for healing. On the evening of Bright Saturday, the Royal Doors in the temple are closed. On this joyful and festive day, any work is postponed, people take to the streets and take part in noisy festivities. The ancient Slavs completed all rituals dedicated to the arrival of spring. On the first Sunday after Easter, Thomas met with the resurrected Jesus, hence the name of this day according to Christian traditions.

Memorial Day of Apostle Jason of Tarsus from the age of 70