Today the world celebrates several events at once: World Sexual Health Day, Customs Brokers Day and World Taekwondo Day. For believers, this date is special - the memory of the holy martyr Babel, Bishop of Antioch, who became a symbol of unshakable faith and devotion to Christ, is honored. There are 118 days left until the New Year.
Saint Babel lived in the 3rd century and was known for his integrity. He did not allow Emperor Decius to enter the temple because of his pagan beliefs, for which he, along with his disciples Urban, Prilidian, and Apollonius, were tortured and martyred.
The people called this day the Babylonian Observances - they carefully watched the signs to predict the weather. A warm and clear day foretold a dry autumn, birds in flocks - an early winter, and a quickly dissipating fog promised good weather.
Traditionally, on September 4, people were advised to avoid new endeavors, not to work with wood, and not to refuse help to those in need.
Today's name days are celebrated by Vasyl, Grigory, Ivan, Mikhail, Moses, Nikolay, Alexander, Athanasius, Pavlo, Petro, Stepan, Fedor, and Elena. The talisman of those born on this day is considered obsidian, a stone that opens the way to secret desires.
September 4th is marked in history by a number of important events: in 476 the last emperor of Western Rome was overthrown; in 1837 Samuel Morse created the telegraph and developed the Morse code; in 1888 George Eastman patented the camera and registered the trademark "Kodak". In Ukraine, this date is known for the raising of the blue-and-yellow flag over the Verkhovna Rada in 1991 and the premiere of "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" at the "Ukraine" cinema in 1965, which became an occasion for protests against political repression.
Also born on this day were Ukrainian composer Ostap Bobykevych, film director Edvard Dmytryk, and Olympic fencing champion Olga Kharlan.
