The Day of Slavic Literature and Culture is celebrated annually on May 24. The origin of the holiday is inseparably linked with the memory of the creators of the Cyrillic alphabet - the Equal-to-the-Apostles brothers Cyril and Methodius. Cyril and Methodius were born into a noble and pious family that lived in Thessaloniki (now Thessaloniki). The elder brother Methodius chose a military career, served in a Slavic principality dependent on the Byzantine Empire, where he learned the local language. After 10 years of service, he became a monk and then became abbot of a monastery in Bithynia. From an early age, Cyril was interested in science, studied languages, and communicated with prominent personalities of the time, such as the Byzantine chronicler Leon Grammatikos and Patriarch Photios. After completing his studies, he received the rank of priest, taught philosophy in Constantinople, and later moved to Methodius’s monastery, where he prayed and read a lot. The reason for the creation of a new written language was the request of the Moravian prince Rostislav to send teachers to him so that they could preach in the native language of his subjects. These were times when the Slavic peoples were just emerging onto the historical stage and needed convincing sermons and public worship. In 863, the brothers began to create a new alphabet. They significantly change the Greek alphabet and try to more accurately convey Slavic sounds. Using new writing, they translate books, texts from the Gospel, psalters, and chants for liturgies. As soon as the word of God sounded in the Slavic language, the need for local clergy immediately arose, so the most worthy were prepared for ordination. Listening to the texts of the Holy Scriptures in their native language, people began to accept Christianity, and with it writing. Having inherited their own alphabet, the culture and spirituality of the Slavic countries experienced an unprecedented rise. The Orthodox Church deeply honors the memory of the brothers. Already in the 11th century. The day of May 11 (May 24 according to the Gregorian calendar) is declared the day of remembrance of Saints Cyril and Methodius, and later, when science and enlightenment flourished, this day became the holiday of Slavic writing. In Rus', the custom of remembering Cyril and Methodius developed a long time ago, but at the state level the holiday was approved only in 1863, almost 1000 years after the introduction of the Cyrillic alphabet. In Soviet times, it was completely forgotten, but on May 24, 1986, several events dedicated to the Day of Writing were held in Murmansk, and the following year it was celebrated in Kyiv, Minsk and Novgorod. In 1991, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR legalized the holiday as the Day of Slavic Literature and Culture. Now in Russia the holiday is celebrated by both the church and the secular community. Along with memorable services, processions and pilgrimages to monasteries, exhibitions, presentations, literary readings, competitions and festive concerts are organized. This holiday is a reason for joy and pride in their national culture, both for believers and convinced atheists in many countries.

Since 2005, the National Union of Personnel Officers of Russia has proposed celebrating its professional holiday on May 24. The date was not chosen by chance - back in 1835, a special resolution was adopted in the Russian Empire regulating the relationship between the employer in the person of the owner of the factory and the employee entering there for hire. This was facilitated by the industrial revolution of the 19th century, which changed the role of workers and contributed to the emergence of new specialists. The holiday emphasizes the importance of the development of personnel management in Russia, although the very concept of “personnel officer” appeared in 1918 by a resolution of the Commissariat of Justice. Therefore, October 12, first for career employees of internal affairs bodies, and then in other areas, also became widespread as a special day. The National Union of Personnel Officers, registered in 2004, also has the abbreviation “VVK”, which means the All-Russian Personnel Congress, as it has been called since 2002. Its activities are supported by the ministries of Russia and are aimed at making proposals for improving legislation in the field of labor law. The Union is appreciated by European colleagues - since 2006 it has been participating in the international association for personnel management. The profession is quite in demand - even in a small company or organization there is a person responsible for working with personnel. Almost half of the workers in this field are in the Moscow region. The profession has many names for its specialists: personnel officer, recruitment or personnel management manager, recruiter, HR (HR manager). Conservatism and some routine have been lost: more and more young and active people are choosing this field, because it keeps pace with the times. A modern HR manager may engage in hand-hunting or team building. The 2016 professional standards for personnel officers, developed by the Ministry of Labor, will be able to somewhat streamline and regulate the range of responsibilities. Do not question the importance of the work: complex and multifaceted, it plays its role in the development of the economy, education, various, and almost all, spheres of activity, because the human factor is the main one here. There are more opportunities to train as a HR specialist; for continuous professional development - various seminars and trainings. It is all the more valuable that you can gain and exchange additional experience through a joint celebration. Conferences, congresses, competitions, and exhibitions held by interested parties are aimed at making the May 24 holiday more popular and interesting.

The Ukrainian national alcoholic drink is made from spring water, wheat or other grains, and infused with red pepper. Thanks to natural ingredients and “silver” filtration, vodka has a mild taste, a light aroma of bread and honey. Unlike vodka, Ukrainian moonshine is a product of distillation, not rectification. Therefore, the recipe for its preparation is more reminiscent of bitter, whiskey, cognac and brandy. Ukrainians revere their traditional drink and celebrate the Vodka Festival every year on May 24th. Drinking moonshine is unthinkable without the “right” snack - lard with garlic, fragrant bread, dumplings with sour cream... Drinking traditions are mentioned in the literary works of many authors. “Our Cossacks sat down, took bread, salt, tsibul from their bags... they began to have dinner, sent for vodka - then the tavern was close,” A.I. described the meal. Kuprin in the story "Wilderness". At N.V. Gogol in “Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka” the wealthy Cossack Chub and his godfather Panas not only actively drink moonshine that burns their throats, but also offer it to the Devil. Gogol's Taras Bulba admonishes his wife, wanting to better treat his visiting sons "... a larger burner, not with fancy burners, not with raisins and all sorts of rags, but a clean, foamy burner, so that it plays and hisses like mad." The drink was brought to Zaporozhye Sich in oak barrels from Ukraine, Crimea and Poland. By "waste" Taras Bulba meant quirks - additives that in the first half of the 17th century. were not considered traditional. The scalding vodka with a strength of up to 70 degrees was very popular among the Zaporozhye Cossacks, who loved to take a wide walk and drink well. In addition to moonshine, mead, liqueur, beer and “varenukha” (alcohol prepared with the addition of spices) were also favored. Today, vodka recipes, produced both at home and on an industrial scale, are very diverse. Pepper pods, mint, honey, viburnum and birch buds are added to moonshine, which is prepared from grain crops, beets and potatoes. The homemade drink is the result of distillation, in contrast to store-bought peppers from the brands Nemiroff, Khortytsya, Khlebny Dar and others. Factories use the rectification method to produce vodka. Therefore, these drinks, even if infused with pepper, would still be more correctly called vodka. “Eh, let’s drink vodka, it will make your heart feel better!” - said Mukhoyedov in one of the works of D.N. Mamin-Sibiryak. The call of the hero of the essay will be happily accepted by everyone who loves traditional Ukrainian moonshine. Connoisseurs of the scalding drink are happy to celebrate the Vodka Festival on May 24 with a good snack and invite everyone to join.

The world sees an increase in the number of mental illnesses every year. One of the most serious and virtually untreatable diseases is schizophrenia, which is diagnosed in 24 million people. Scientists attribute its occurrence to genetic predisposition, brain injuries and prolonged exposure to stress. The disease also occurs due to intrauterine pathologies of the fetus, as a result of severe emotional shock and regular use of drugs and alcohol. Since 1988, May 24 has been celebrated as World Schizophrenia Day. The main goal of World Schizophrenia Day is to raise awareness of people living with one of the most severe mental disorders in the world. The disease can occur in every hundredth person. People suffering from schizophrenia find it difficult to integrate into society, as they are immersed in their inner world, which makes it difficult to communicate with others. Some psychiatrist patients behave aggressively and defiantly, especially if they do not receive treatment. Therefore, it is advisable for relatives of patients with schizophrenia to consult a doctor about the condition of their loved ones as soon as possible. World Schizophrenia Day was created to broaden the understanding of what this mental disorder is. Symptoms of schizophrenia include: confusion, delusions, and auditory and visual hallucinations. Patients with this diagnosis experience apathy, isolation, decreased social activity and paranoia - persecution mania. The main symptom of the disease is impaired thinking due to the splitting of the patient’s consciousness. The split in the personality of a schizophrenic leads to the replacement of logical conclusions with delusional ideas. Psychiatrists observe sudden mood swings and lack of consistency in reasoning in patients. As the disease progresses, schizophrenics develop a condition called emotional-volitional defect. They find it difficult to do everyday things that an ordinary person does every day without thinking. People with a progressive mental disorder cannot bring themselves to take a shower, clean the apartment, cook food, or go to the store for groceries. The patient’s emotional sphere also suffers. A schizophrenic loses the ability to show love, tenderness and affection to loved ones. He becomes indifferent, cruel and cold; often these qualities are replaced by aggression in relations with people around him. Emotional support and timely, qualified medication treatment can help people with mental disorders. World Schizophrenia Day aims to provide sufficient information to patients and their caregivers about the symptoms of the disease and treatment options. Society should pay attention to the problems of schizophrenics and help them with social adaptation where possible. The disease cannot be cured, but it is quite possible to achieve remission and stabilize the mental state. These and other problems are highlighted by World Schizophrenia Day, which is celebrated annually on May 24.

European Parks Day is a young holiday. It was first celebrated only in 1999, the founder was the Europark Federation, it is known for the fact that it includes natural areas under protection in thirty-six European powers. Parks Day is celebrated every year on May 24th. The date was chosen due to the fact that at the end of May the greenery on the trees is thick and fragrant, with a historical background. It is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the creation of the first European national parks. On May 24, 1909, nine Swedish national parks were founded. The most famous of them is Sarek, with a harsh climate and the valley of the Rapapaeto River, in which the waters of 30 glaciers flow. After the creation of 9 protected natural zones, about 300 more natural areas were opened throughout the Old World. This day is celebrated for a reason, but with the aim of raising the level of European nature reserves. In addition, it is designed to attract society to help develop natural areas. Every year on May 24, a large number of events are held near the reserves and on their territory. Among them: the opening of new excursions, lectures on nature conservation, events for children, screening of thematic films and the organization of exhibitions. The primary goal of these events is to identify the problem of protecting the natural environment of Europe, as well as to attract young people to protect natural areas. So in 2009, the festival was held under the motto “Youth are the future of our parks.” Every year the holiday is dedicated to one theme, for example, in 2016 the motto “Taste of Nature” was chosen, emphasizing the unity of people, nature and organic food. In 2015, the motto was “The nature of our business.” In 2014, the world mourned the 100th anniversary of the First World War, so the slogan was: “Parks for nature. Parks for well-being. Parks of the World.” The reserves would hardly exist without volunteers, so 2011 was dedicated to their work. It is worth adding that the Day of Nature Reserves and National Parks in Russia is celebrated on January 11.

International holidays - World Video Games Day

International holidays - International Women's Day for Peace and Disarmament

International Tiara Day is celebrated annually on May 24, Queen Victoria's birthday. Because so many girls and women admire tiaras, but there are so few events that would be appropriate to wear them to, International Tiara Day was created. As a symbol of social status and power, men and women adorned their heads with various crowns and tiaras dating back to Egyptian times. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs preferred gold headbands. The headbands were sometimes decorated with tassels hanging over the forehead or temple. In the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the king of Egypt, the king's mummy was found to be wearing one of these headdresses, a golden circle diadem. On the front was a removable gold decoration with the head of a vulture and the body of a cobra, symbolizing the unification of Lower and Upper Egypt. "Diadema" comes from the ancient Greek, meaning "to bind." Their tiaras were made of all types of metal. At the time, gold supplies were limited, so their tiaras were decorated with motifs in relief, including the Hercules knot, often found in Hellenistic jewelry. Once gold supplies were discovered, styles became less formal and evolved into intricate garlands of leaves and flowers. Next were the Romans, who expanded the fashion of gold headbands by adding precious stones to their jewelry. The first true diadem was attributed to the Roman emperor Gaius Valerius Diocletian (245–313 AD). According to British history, "Diocletian's head was surrounded by a white bandage with pearls as a sign of royalty." Decorating the head with flowers or leaves was an ancient custom and meant honor, love or victory. The Greeks celebrated victory in the games by crowning champions with wreaths made from natural laurel leaves. The tradition was continued by the Romans, who honored generals with wreaths of real gold, turning perishable natural foliage into an eternal symbol. So the Roman conquerors wore golden wreaths, and their Roman brides wore wreaths of flowers and leaves. Symbolism was woven into the design of all these wreaths and other headdresses. Symbols have played a role in religious customs, literature and legends throughout time. For example, a wedding wreath was a symbol of purity. Lilies symbolized purity; wheat, fertility; rosemary, male potency; these metaphors are still recognized by many brides centuries later. The term tiara in its original form described the high, pointed headdress worn by Persian kings. Tiaras were not popular in the Middle Ages, as fashion required that a woman's head and hair be covered. After the Renaissance relaxed these customs, women's hair was often worn in curls and waves around the face. The hair was decorated with a variety of decorations made of natural or precious stones, some of which resembled a tiara in appearance, although they were more casual in nature. During Napoleon's reign there was a revival of interest in the classics and a revival of the ancient fashion for tiaras. It is believed that Napoleon and his wife Josephine started the fashion for luxurious hats. In fact, Napoleon commissioned the famous Cameo tiara, worn today by Swedish royal brides, for his wife. At his coronation in 1804, Napoleon wore a laurel wreath of golden leaves, each representing one of his victories. It was made by a Parisian jeweler and was rumored to cost 8,000 francs. Napoleon's Roman victory wreath was imitated by society women, and a new fashion was born. The new combed-over hairstyle was the perfect style to wear with a tall, flat tiara that was pointed at the front, gold-embossed, and bejeweled. Empress Josephine was depicted several times wearing various tiaras, also known as bandeaus. Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon's second wife, received an even more elaborate tiara in honor of the birth of their only son. It was encrusted with diamonds, surrounding large crown diamonds and emeralds. The English royal family adopted this tradition, expanding tiaras and crowns to include precious stones in addition to diamonds. It was in the 19th century that tiaras first became important wedding symbols of the British royal family. Queen Victoria began amassing a collection of priceless tiaras, which are still in the family. There are a number of famous royal tiaras, such as the Queen Mary Fringed Tiara worn by Queen Elizabeth on her wedding day in 1947 and the Diamond Bandeau Tiara worn by Meghan Markle on her wedding day in 2018. This tradition continues today, with many brides wearing a tiara on their wedding day. Maybe it's just a trend, or maybe it's a symbol of something bigger - every bride dreams of feeling like a princess in her wedding dress, so a tiara is the perfect accent to make that dream come true!

Holidays of Ecuador - Day of the Battle of Pichincha (Batalla de Pichincha)

On May 24 (May 11 according to the old calendar style) people celebrate Mokiy Mokry. The name of the day is borrowed from the church date of the veneration of Saint Mokios of Amphipolis, who suffered in the 3rd century for his faith in the Lord. Mokiy lived on the territory of Macedonia (modern Greece) in the city of Amphipolis, was a Christian priest and spread his faith among non-believers. For preaching Christianity, the pagans seized him and tortured him, but the priest remained unharmed. Then the ruler ordered the saint to be beheaded. Centuries later, a temple was built in honor of Mokius, where the relics of the saint were transferred. The people nicknamed the saint Wet for the frequent precipitation on a given day: fog, rain or drizzle. In addition, the name Mokiy for the Slavs was similar to the word “wet”. This day was used to determine the weather for the upcoming summer: precipitation foreshadowed a rainy summer, and a clear day, on the contrary, a dry one. If they noticed a crimson dawn, in the summer they prepared for thunderstorms and fires. On Mokiev Day they continued to celebrate the name day of Mother Raw Earth. All work in the gardens and fields was postponed until a later date. However, the day was devoted to household work: cleaning, mending, sewing. They believed that the Lord would punish people for working in the soil on this day - he would hit the planted crops with hail. It happened that thunderstorms with hail came to Mokia. To prevent it from falling out, residents read a conspiracy and burned a New Year's sheaf of straw or willow branches from Palm Sunday. In order to stop the hail that had begun, a broom was thrown into the window opening to remove the cobwebs. But the girls on Mokia Mokrogo had a ritual of getting caught in the rain so that their hair would grow beautiful. Seeing a rainbow on Mokiev day meant that the wind would soon begin. The evening fog foreshadowed stormy weather the next day. A cat sleeping with its belly up warned of the onset of heat, but a cat hiding its nose under its paw predicted a cold snap. Watching the horses shake their manes, the people prepared for the rain.

Last bell in Russian schools

Orthodox holidays on May 24:

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Day of the Hieromartyr Mokios of Anfipolis every year on May 24. The saint, who lived in Macedonia in the 3rd century, was born into a noble family of Roman citizens. Mokiya's parents were Christians and raised their son in love for the Lord and fidelity to the faith of Christ, which led him to the rank of priest. Until his old age, Presbyter Mokiy preached the word of God among the idolatrous pagans. And even during the persecution of Christians that began with the coming to power of Emperor Diocletian, the saint continued his fiery sermons. During the holidays in honor of the pagan god Dionysus, Moky came every day to the main square of the city and tried to reason with its inhabitants. Angry idolaters denounced the Christian presbyter to Anthipada Laodicea, adding fabrications and slander to the denunciation. Anfipad ordered the preacher to be brought to him, and he began to threaten him with death. The saint answered that death for the Lord Jesus Christ is a great good and showed equanimity and fearlessness. The punishment that followed shocked everyone present. Mokiya's body remained insensitive to the beatings. The torturers who beat the saint began to become exhausted, but the presbyter still remained unharmed. Wanting to prove the power of the Lord, the saint raised a prayer to heaven, after which everyone heard thunder and saw the statue of Dionysus collapse. Laodicea became even more angry with the captive and ordered him to be thrown into a fiery furnace. The flame that broke out did not harm the saint, but burned the tormentors to the ground. The frightened ruler of the city took Mokiya into custody and called another anfipad for interrogation. And again the Lord showed a miracle, leaving Mokiya alive and unharmed after torture and torment. The whole city witnessed how wild animals clung to the saint, instead of tearing him to pieces. Then the rulers of the city, fearing a rebellion, decided not to confuse the people anymore and take the presbyter to Byzantium for execution. At the place of his death, the saint heard the voice of the Lord, who promised him the Kingdom of Heaven for the power of faith. Mokius's head was cut off on the 24th day of May; Emperor Constantine established this date as the day of remembrance of the great martyr, building a temple in honor of the saint and transferring the relics of the presbyter there. In folk tradition, the feast of the holy martyr Mokios of Amphiopolis received the epithets Mokry and Mokrosei. It was believed that dry weather rarely occurred on this day, and therefore, instead of sowing, they did everyday household chores. To preserve the future harvest, straw from Christmas or willow branches from Palm Sunday were burned in the fields. Dampness and fog throughout the day foreshadowed a damp, cool summer. But the dawn, colored red, indicated the onset of a sultry summer.

Memorial Day of Equal-to-the-Apostles Rostislav the Great Moravian