Today in Ukraine we celebrate the Day of the Physician's Assistant, and according to the church calendar, believers honor the memory of the holy Monk Averky, Bishop of Hierapolis. There are 70 days left until the New Year, and nature increasingly reminds us of the approach of winter.
Saint Averky was born into a wealthy family in the city of Hierapolis (now the territory of Turkey). From an early age he was distinguished by deep faith and purity of life. Having converted to Christianity, he completely devoted himself to serving God. Thanks to his wisdom and spiritual strength, he became bishop of his native city, where he zealously preached the faith among the pagans. His activity was so significant that the saint is called Equal to the Apostles - one who worked in the spirit of the apostles.
Saint Averky made many missionary journeys, visited Rome and other cities of the Roman Empire, spreading Christianity. He died in great old age, leaving behind a great spiritual legacy. On his grave was found the famous "Averky Inscription" - one of the oldest archaeological evidence of the history of the early Church.
On October 22, it is not recommended to start important matters, as they may be fruitless. It is also not recommended to work in the field or in the garden - the earth should be left alone so that it can gain strength for the winter. You should not cut your hair or nails, as it was believed that this could take away vital energy.
The people called this day Averkiy Lyodostav. It was around this date that the first frosts often came and water bodies froze. The villagers observed nature and made predictions for the winter: if the day was clear and quiet, autumn would be warm, and if it rained, winter would be mild. When the wind was strong, they expected a windy winter, and if the evening was clear and starry, frosts would come soon.
On October 22, Vasyl, Volodymyr, Herman, Grigory, Denis, Zakhar, Ivan, Konstantin, Mykola, Oleksandr, Pavlo, Fedir, Anna and Elizaveta celebrate their name day. The talisman of this day is considered to be a diamond - a stone that symbolizes strength, purity and protection from all evil.
Among the famous people born on this day: Ukrainian sculptor Vasyl Svyda (1913), cinematographer Vilen Kalyuta (1930), and Hero of Ukraine, officer of the Armed Forces Pavlo Sbytov (1994).
October 22 was also remembered for historical events: in 1797, Frenchman André-Jacques Garnerin made the first parachute jump, in 1883 the Metropolitan Opera opened in New York, and in 1980 the Vatican officially rehabilitated Galileo Galilei.
In addition, today is International Stuttering Awareness Day, a date dedicated to supporting people with speech difficulties. It was launched in 1998 to raise awareness about this feature. Also, October 22 is International CAPS LOCK Day, created as a humorous reminder of the culture of communication on the Internet.
Another holiday on this day is Physician Assistant Day. It is celebrated as a sign of gratitude to those who help doctors work with patients every day. Physician assistants are the "unsung heroes" of medicine, on whom the success of treatment and the comfort of patients often depend.
