Today, believers honor the memory of the holy Monk Paraskeva of Tyrnov, a woman of great faith who dedicated her life to prayer, serving God, and helping those in need. From an early age, she strove for spiritual purity, and later, leaving home, she went to holy places, where she spent years in solitude and strict fasting. Returning to her homeland after a Divine sign, Paraskeva peacefully departed in the Lord, leaving behind a memory of humility and piety.
This day has long had a special meaning in folk tradition. It was believed that Paraskeva protects the home, marriage and women's work. Matchmaking, scheduled for October 14, was perceived as happy, and it was not recommended to refuse the groom without a good reason. This day was also associated with the first signs of winter: if snow fell, they expected a harsh winter, and if it melted quickly, they believed in a warm and late one.
Believers were forbidden to quarrel and refuse to help the poor, as it was believed that a good deed on Paraskeva's day would be returned a hundredfold. Heavy housework was also prohibited, so as not to "wash away" family protection.
Those named Ignat, Kuzma, Mikhail, Nazar, Petro, and Paraska have their name days on October 14. The talisman of this day is the almandine stone, a symbol of new acquaintances, warm feelings, and emotional harmony.
Prominent Ukrainians were born on this day: actor and theater figure Volodymyr Kuchynsky, pilot and Hero of Ukraine Ihor Matkov, and officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Volodymyr Hrynyuk.
History also preserves the memory of key events that occurred on October 14: the Battle of Hastings, the founding of the Oleksandrivska Fortress — the future Zaporizhzhia, the proclamation of the UPA in 1942, as well as the unification Council of Ukrainian Churches in the USA.
In addition to its spiritual significance, this day is filled with international events: in Ukraine, the Day of the UPA is celebrated - a symbol of the struggle for independence, while the world celebrates the World Day for a Future Without Caries, the International Day of Standardization, and the Day of Environmental Education, which reminds us of our responsibility for the planet.
October 14 is a combination of the past and the future, spirituality and civic duty, a day that unites memory, tradition, and the desire for harmony.
