September 26 combines several international, church, and folk holidays. This date is a reminder of cultural diversity, peace, and spirituality, and also preserves ancient Ukrainian traditions.
Today, the world celebrates the European Day of Languages, which emphasizes the importance of linguistic equality and the preservation of multilingualism in the EU. Also, September 26 is the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, a reminder of the threats posed by the arsenal of mass destruction to the entire planet. Another important educational holiday is World Contraception Day, the purpose of which is to spread knowledge about protection against unwanted pregnancy.
There are no official public holidays in Ukraine on this day, but it was on September 26 that famous Ukrainians were born: poet Mykyta Godovanets, human rights activist Yevhen Proniuk, athlete Yulia Tkach, and the fifth president Petro Poroshenko.
In the new calendar, the Church honors the Apostle John the Theologian, one of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, on this day. In the old style, the martyr Cornelius the Centurion is remembered and the renewal of the Church of the Resurrection of the Lord in Jerusalem is celebrated.
According to folk traditions, September 26 was considered a day of remembrance. People visited cemeteries, ordered memorial services and prepared vegetable dishes, shared food with neighbors, considering it a good sign. Signs suggested what the autumn and winter would be like: if rooks gathered in a flock, they expected bad weather, and the bright twinkling of stars at night promised frost.
Among the prohibitions on this day were loud revelry, weddings, drunkenness, quarrels, as well as the use of sharp objects and heavy physical work after noon. It was believed that such actions could bring misfortune.
