We all know that there are such periods in the year that for certain people are a nightmare. July is the most terrible month for those who suffer from hay fever (pollinosis), the elderly find it difficult to endure winter...

However, if we look at the statistics, we will find that there are many more “special” periods of the year (or days) that can spoil your mood, worsen your condition and even destroy your life. For example…

1. Christmas is considered the deadliest time of the year.

Winter holidays are the most fun time of the year, the time when people are overwhelmed with good mood and love. However, they are also considered the most dangerous period, since, according to a study conducted by the BBC, the number of deaths during this time increases by 10-15 percent.

What's behind door number 1? Heart diseases! During the Christmas and New Year holidays, the death rate from heart disease increases significantly. Some scientists believe that this may be due to cold weather, which makes our immune systems vulnerable, but a similar problem is also observed in New Zealand, where New Year and Christmas fall during the hottest part of the summer. It's also worth noting that people who die of heart disease around Christmas tend to be, on average, a year younger than those who leave this world for the same reason at any other time.

Door #2: Car Crashes! Everyone knows that shopping on the eve of the holidays is very dangerous, but real misfortunes await you on the road. According to a State Farm study, 32 percent of drivers tend to become more aggressive during the holiday season as their brains can't handle long lines, high prices, and the constant repetition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and they lose focus and attention. . The study also notes that parents and people under 49 are especially susceptible to this.

Door #3: You can accidentally shoot yourself! Christmas and New Year's are not the best time to play with firearms. Moreover, the victims of careless treatment are most often not drunk adult men, but young guys (the average age of the dead is 19 years). Pistols are one of the most common Christmas and New Year gifts. People often go hunting during this period. Children sit at home and may accidentally stumble upon a loaded gun left in a desk drawer by negligent parents. Teenagers usually get drunk as hell and like to repeat dangerous stunts they saw on YouTube. Hence, so many deaths during the festive period.

2. Your marriage will most likely end in March or August.

Divorce seems to be a constant thing, but even this industry has its peak months, just like any other business. Divorce rates skyrocket in March and August, according to a recent study by the University of Washington. According to some scientists, the willingness of couples to end their marriage waxes and wanes throughout the year. At Christmas or Valentine's Day, couples cling to the hope that the holidays will help them mend their relationship; they also do not want to upset their loved ones with the news of a divorce.

However, with the onset of spring, they get rid of the illusion of true love and file for divorce. The same goes for summer vacation, which usually falls in July. A vacation is always stressful, which shakes up an already fragile relationship, especially if someone already on board the plane suddenly remembers that they left their suitcase in the car!

3. Drug fatal errors peak in July

“Beginner doctor” is one of those phrases that make people prepare for the worst. However, we all started somewhere; mistakes are inevitable along the way - but we'd rather they weren't made with our fragile bodies. So do yourself a favor and try not to get sick in the summer because medical school ends in July and there are a lot of inexperienced young doctors in hospitals.

According to research, your chances of dying from mixed up medications increase by about 10 percent in July. However, this mainly concerns clinics at medical higher educational institutions. However, statistics show that between 1979 and 2006 there were 62 million drug-related deaths in the United States. 62 million in 28 years!

However, let us return to July, which is the month when newcomers, naive and inexperienced, appear in the clinics at medical schools. It is they who cause erroneously amputated limbs, cancerous tumors that are not noticed in time, or patients who accidentally catch fire.

4. Strokes vary by time of day/year

Medically speaking, a stroke occurs when the brain does not get enough blood (ischemic stroke) or it bleeds (hemorrhagic stroke). However, there are a few simple ways you can help reduce your risk of having a stroke. All you need to do is eat less, quit smoking, and stop existing during certain hours of the day. Easily.

According to the results of a Japanese study, the risk of stroke can vary depending on the time of day. The risk of ischemic stroke increases between 6 and 8 am. In turn, the risk of hemorrhagic stroke increases between 6 and 8 pm. The most interesting thing is that the risk of stroke is usually at its lowest when you sleep.

Over time, everything is clear, but there is one more thing that affects the risk of strokes - the weather. Cold weather can constrict blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to move through the veins and increasing the chance of blood clots. These blood clots can reach the brain and cause a stroke. However, those who live in a warm climate, do not rush to rejoice: hot weather can also cause a stroke, since dehydration can lead to the formation of blood clots. The world is cruel.

5. Super Bowl season is heart attack season.

Many people consider athletes to be the healthiest people on planet Earth, but in reality this is far from the case. The average soccer player has a huge number of injuries, illnesses and brain damage. However, not only those who train on the field almost every day can get "sports" injuries. Even those people who sit at home most of the time are subject to them. In particular, they run the risk of experiencing cardiac arrest, however, during certain periods of the year, namely: when important sporting events take place.

In 1980, there was a 15 percent increase in heart attacks in men and 27 percent in women when the Pittsburgh Steelers were in contention to win the Super Bowl. However, when the Oakland Raiders rightfully defeated the Washington Redskins in 1984, there was no noticeable increase in heart attacks.

This happened to football fans during intense World Cup matches. In 2006, when Germany played in the tournament, the number of heart attacks among the country's citizens more than doubled. Apparently, the stress caused by the defeat of a favorite team, combined with agonizing anticipation, causes the body to function differently than usual. However, do not worry, this effect does not apply to everyone who is fond of sports. It is observed only in people who suffer from diabetes or hypertension and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

6. People are most likely to commit suicide in the spring

It is generally accepted that people most often decide to end their lives at Christmas, as this holiday makes people think about the importance of family and unity, which makes the lonely and hopeless depressed. However, this is not true. In fact, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, the number of suicides is at its lowest. In fact, the most depressing time of the year is the one associated with birth with warmth and joy.

At the end of the year, people who might commit suicide are either in the family circle, which makes suicide unlikely, or holed up in their apartments and not interacting with other people, which makes them feel less bad. But when spring comes, everything changes. Once the snow is gone and the world comes back to life, the suicide rate rises by about 15 percent compared to the rest of the year.

At first glance, this seems absurd. Spring is the time of sun and flowering; in theory, all this should, on the contrary, cheer up and save us from seasonal depression. However, the fact is that it does not help us solve a real problem that is related to other people. When springtime arrives, we have to get out of our holes and interact with more people, which leads to more stress and frustration in our lives.

7. April rains bring May flowers... and appendicitis

If appendicitis is left untreated, it can lead to peritonitis or even death. The most interesting thing is that, according to a study conducted in Ghana, appendicitis most often manifests itself between April and July, which is the rainy season in the country. This is not a coincidence. The same was observed in Finland - with an increase in humidity levels, the number of cases of appendicitis increased. According to some scientists, this is due to the fact that in humid and warm weather, the number of allergens and bacteria in the air increases dramatically, as a result of which the appendix can become inflamed.

August began - a month full of various dramatic events: accidents, terrorist attacks, political and economic disasters. Why is this happening?

We are dealing with a situation where, for various social reasons, the biological clock of each of us has to work in a mode unforeseen by nature. And this translates into extremely negative consequences for society.

From the point of view of a modern psychologist, it would be frivolous to explain these phenomena. Therefore, I think it is worth referring in this case to the accumulated experience and knowledge of people who study social life, who in a sense can be called confessors with a certain worldview. In August, people go on vacation - get away from social tension, because it is impossible to work at this time. They try to use this period to sign some documents, which most often are not socially acceptable, and in some cases can be completely dangerous. This is called "stretching" your interests at a time when people do not particularly expect it.

Previously, according to the Slavic calendar, the year as a life cycle began in September and ended in August. Summing up the results of the year, that is, a kind of assessment of everything accumulated, both bad and good, fell precisely on August-September. And we are no different from our ancestors, despite the fact that we have postponed the beginning of the new calendar year. It turns out that in August there is a so-called discharge of social tension. We must enter the new year by summing up the results of the previous one. Therefore, in August there are a huge number of such difficult events for the country. It `s naturally.

They say that August 17 is a fateful day for Russia in terms of energy. Then 1+7 is 8, the eighth month. Eight is Saturn, and Saturn is the planet that controls us, it is like a normative, like a gendarme. In this case, if we somehow misbehaved, or someone behaved incorrectly, Saturn will give appropriate feedback in August. In addition, there are always solar and lunar eclipses in August. This is if you look at the situation from the point of view of astrology.

By August, people are no longer able to work or reason. At this time, certain interests are often lobbied in various meetings, committees, and so on. People sign and vote without looking, just to go on vacation and relax. A person cannot live in tension all the time - this is the law.

August is a non-working month, this is the month when people should relieve stress, nourish themselves with vitamins, relax at the sea or somewhere in nature in order to recover. As a biologist by first education, I can say that our biological rhythms absolutely coincide with the biological rhythms of our ancestors. Nobody came up with anything new. Therefore, it is better to try to take a vacation in August.

From time immemorial, people have tried not to be in the thick of events in August. They sought to retire with nature, with water, with land, go to summer cottages, vegetable gardens, and engage in canning. August is the best time, especially for women.

I always work with women and I can say that they are the bearers of the energy that usually spreads to society. In theory, what is the state of a woman, such a state in society. A man in itself is an aggressive creature, but he is irritated precisely through a woman. Therefore, if women have a rest, then men are in order and do not show aggression. And if a woman is aggressive, then she is a provocateur.

In August, women usually work in our country, not being able to rest. And this becomes the cause of female resentment. It is a pity that husbands, men in principle, the president, society are not able to provide a woman with rest. It behaves aggressively, emits negative energy, and the Earth, like a magnet, takes this energy. And if a woman is "in asphalt" for days on end, does not happen in nature, on the beach, then one day this will lead to numerous diseases.

If we talk about how August is experienced by different categories of people, then it cannot be said that the mood of the month affects everyone equally. Let's say, when a child is born, he takes energy from his parents, from nature, from other resources. That is, he has a certain margin of safety, which in the future should be distributed throughout his life. Therefore, children are the least susceptible to the negative moods of August. They seem to skip this period, because they are not as sensitive as adults. In adults, the nervous system becomes thinner with age, turns into a sieve, and any event, even a minor one, leaves a certain trace.

In sociology, there is the concept of "summated stress". That is, it is not necessary that some particular global event must occur in order for this to have an impact on the nervous system. It can be 50 or 100 small events, as I say, “on the level of a penny”, but summed up, they give the same reaction as an earthquake, divorce or death of a loved one. Somewhere wisdom helps adults experience problems through awareness, but the feelings they experience are sharper and more painful than those of children. It seems that the person survived it, but resentment remained. And resentment is one of the reasons why very serious physiological changes occur in the body, sometimes life-threatening.

Social events today show that such a situation is observed every year: people wait for 12 months for some changes, improvements in life, but all of a sudden some other laws are adopted. All this is done under the guise of a vacation period. I began to celebrate this even at the time when I was a deputy. Usually, all voting, amendments, which are very difficult to pass, because people control it, they try to hold after they go on vacation, as I call them - "biting" deputies.

Actually, 2018 is unlikely to be an exception, given that it is historically associated with the centenary of the revolution of the last century. As a psychologist, I always say: the basis of everything is the expectations of people. People were waiting for some concrete changes, improvements. And instead of expectations, they got, as they say, "under the breath." When some laws are unexpectedly adopted, a special political situation develops, in which people are even more squeezed in a vise, and they understand that there is nothing to wait for, the expectation of improvements disappears, and people become depressed, pessimistic, apathetic, which, as a rule, leads to some social unrest, rallies. Perhaps this can explain so many terrible events that have occurred in Russia in different years.

CHISINAU, August 18 - Sputnik. It has become a sad tradition to call the eighth month of the year "Black August". Every year, at the end of summer, accidents, terrorist attacks and war crimes claim dozens, hundreds and even thousands of lives.

In August of this year, the whole world mourns for those who died during the collapse of the bridge in Genoa. By a fatal accident, among those who died was a citizen of Moldova.

In the homeland of our compatriot, a truck driver who earned his living by his craft, many dangers awaited. Every day we read in the news reports how people in Moldova die as a result of traffic accidents or drown while swimming in the river. But to leave for another country, two thousand kilometers from home, in search of a better life - and die in Italy in a bridge collapse, which is an extremely rare incident - this is indeed a tragedy.

The deceased was born in the village of Taraclia, Kaushany region. His family learned of the tragic news on Wednesday morning. After the death of the father of the family, who ended up on this bridge at a fatal hour, the wife was left a widow, and the children will grow up without a father.

Fires in Greece

And it was in August that the strongest fires covered Greece. The fires in Greece, which raged for several days near Athens, caused damage to more than two thousand residential buildings. Of these, 500 buildings were completely destroyed.

Nearly 100 people have died in the fires.

For some inexplicable reason, many major accidents, plane crashes, natural disasters that claimed hundreds of lives, occurred in the last month of summer - Sputnik talks about world catastrophes that occurred in the "unlucky" month.

Flipping through the history of disasters

The thirty-first of August marks another anniversary of one of the worst maritime disasters in the Black Sea - on that day the cruise ship "Admiral Nakhimov" sank. There were 1234 people on board the ship, of which 423 died. Among those who did not return to their families, there were 17 residents of Moldova.

Ghost of the Crimean War

It is known that the cause of the accident, which led to the sinking of the ship, was the collision of the ship with the dry cargo ship "Pyotr Vasev" near Novorossiysk. The official version is confusion about which vessel should have given way. Unofficially - many versions, rumors and mysticism.

We managed to collect little information about the inhabitants of Soviet Moldova who died on the "Admiral Nakhimov" after the tragedy. Most of the members of these families have long since emigrated from the country. Not even relatives got in touch with the Sputnik correspondent, but friends, neighbors, work colleagues, also scattered around the world today.

Some of the journalist's interlocutors did not even always remember the names of their dead acquaintances. But the phrase "Admiral Nakhimov" evoked in their memory pictures of the past catastrophe.

Lyudmila Aleksandrova lived then in Bendery. She remembers that in this city, in a house on Kommunisticheskaya Street, there lived a young couple who did not return from the fateful cruise.

“The two-year-old son of the couple with the parents of the victims remained at home. It seems that the family later repatriated to Israel. I lived in the neighborhood, but I didn’t know each other, I went to the funeral with a friend of the deceased woman, who is also no longer in the world of the living,” Lyudmila said.

Olga Kochurova, a resident of Chisinau, told Sputnik that after looking through the list of the dead 30 years ago, she remembered one of these names - Vekhterman. She heard it from her work colleague. Contacting her, Olga found out that Iosif Vekhterman, the husband of Faina Vekhterman and the father of Arkady Vekhterman, who had not returned from that cruise, had left for Israel with his daughter a very long time ago.

“Joseph was also on the Nakhimov, but miraculously escaped. My daughter was small then and stayed with her grandmother in Chisinau,” Olga added.

OTHER DISASTERS

The US military carried out atomic bombings of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945. The total losses of Japan amounted to about 200 thousand people. After five years, more than 300 thousand inhabitants of the country died from the consequences of the explosions. The bombings were the first and only example of the combat use of nuclear weapons in history.

The largest terrorist act in post-war Italy was also committed in August, on August 2, 1980. On this day, a bomb exploded at the railway station in Bologna, killing 85 people, more than two hundred people were injured. The alleged perpetrators of the tragedy, neo-fascist terrorists, were sentenced to life imprisonment only 15 years later. They never admitted their guilt.

© Sputnik / Vitaly Arutyunov

The Boeing-747SR of the Japanese airline Japan Air Lines crashed into a mountain 70 kilometers from Tokyo. In a plane crash that occurred on August 12, 1985, 505 passengers and 15 crew members died. This is the largest single-aircraft crash in the history of aviation in terms of the number of victims.

Friday, August 7, 1987 was marked by a major accident on the railway in the city of Kamenno-Shakhtinsky. A freight train collided with passenger cars at the station, killing 106 and injuring 114 people. The cause of the incident was the negligence of the railway workers.

© Sputnik / Alexey Kudenko

One of the most destructive earthquakes in history occurred on August 17, 1999 in Turkey. As a result of the disaster, more than 17 thousand people died, more than 43 thousand were injured. The length of the crack caused by the earthquake was about 150 kilometers.

A tragic date in the history of the Russian Navy was August 12, 2000. The Russian submarine cruiser K-141 "Kursk" sank as a result of the accident, all 118 crew members died.

August will also be remembered as the month of fierce battles for Tskhinval. Eight years ago, on the night of August 8, 2008, Georgian troops attacked South Ossetia and destroyed part of its capital. The fighting continued for five days. According to the South Ossetian authorities, more than 1.5 thousand people died.

The accident at the Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP occurred on August 17, 2009. The cause of the disaster was violations of safety regulations and labor protection by the management of the power plant. The accident killed 75 people.

The military coup in Egypt resulted in mass clashes on August 14, 2013. Supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi have come under armed attack by the military government. The number of people killed was 525, the vast majority were civilians, more than three thousand people were injured.

The perpetrators and the number of victims of the use of chemical weapons in Syria on August 21, 2013 have not yet been established. During the night, several rockets filled with the nerve agent sarin were fired into populated areas of the Damascus suburb of Ghouta. According to various estimates, from two hundred to 1700 people were killed, more than three and a half thousand were injured. In the same year, Syria acceded to the convention on the prohibition of chemical weapons.

Trinity Margarita 08/31/2012 at 7:00

August is coming to an end - a month full of various dramatic events: accidents, terrorist attacks, political and economic disasters. The mathematician Nassim Taleb dubbed them "black swans". Even people who do not believe in mysticism consider August a truly "unlucky" month. I wonder if there is a scientific explanation for why this happens?

Judge for yourself: in the eighth month of 1991, the GKChP coup took place; 1994 - the war with Chechnya began; in 1998, there was a collapse of the ruble, a default and a financial crisis; in 1999, a series of explosions promised by Chechen terrorists began. Perhaps, in terms of the number of misfortunes, August 2000, the last in the 20th century, outdid all the previous ones. Probably, there was no person who would not remember the prophecies of the end of the world at the end of the millennium. It seemed: here it is, the Apocalypse has begun! And many have experienced it for themselves.

As soon as the explosion died down in Moscow in the passage under Pushkin Square, we heard the news of a new, even more terrible tragedy - the sinking of the Kursk submarine. By the way, Vanga also predicted for the year 2000: "In August, Kursk will be flooded." It turns out that it was not about the city of Kursk, but about the ship. But the fateful events did not end there. The Ostankino television tower caught fire - people died, TV programs were not broadcast for several days.

August 2010 was no exception. The July heat erupted in suffocating smog from forest fires. By the way, the archives contain information about other weather anomalies in August: for example, in 1600, all Moscow rivers were suddenly covered with ice for three years!

August is disastrous, however, not only for Russia. It was on August 24 of the distant year 79 AD that the famous eruption of Vesuvius occurred, which led to the death of three cities of the Ancient Roman Empire - Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabia. And on August 26, 1883, the most powerful volcanic eruption in the history of mankind took place - we are talking about Krakatoa (Indonesia). On August 24, 1572, the massacre of the Huguenots in Paris happened, which went down in history as Bartholomew's Night. On August 22, 1986, the volcanic Lake Nyos in Cameroon began emitting carbon dioxide, which suffocated nearly 2,000 nearby villages.

Here's a quick tour of the dates:

In August 1939, a pact was also signed between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany, from which one can actually count the Second World War (on September 1, Germany attacked Poland).

World economic upheavals also happen in August as if by order. So, in August 1961, the Berlin Crisis happened. In August 1971, US President Richard Nixon abandoned the gold standard in his country and imposed controls on prices, wages and trade. In 1982, Mexico was hit by a debt crisis, and in August 2007, the U.S. mortgage crisis began, which eventually led to a global economic downturn.

What is the cause of "August Syndrome"? Perhaps in solar activity, which is maximum during this period. “Everything on Earth,” wrote the famous scientist Alexander Chizhevsky, “simultaneously comes into a convulsive shudder: terrible downpours, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, auroras, magnetic and electrical storms ... Everything living and non-living on the planet begins to move Everything is included in the general whirlwind of unrest, unrest and confusion.

6.08.2015

6.08.2015

August 1, 1903 - Seraphim of Sarov canonized as a saint

August 1 (July 19, old style) all Orthodox Christians celebrate the day of memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov ( in the world Prokhor Moshnin). Born July 19, 1759 in a merchant family. At an early age, Prokhor fell from the bell tower of the temple under construction, but miraculously survived. As a teenager, he became very seriously ill. According to legend, the Mother of God appeared to the boy's mother in a dream and promised to heal her son. When the child was attached to the icon of the Mother of God of the Sign, he quickly recovered.

Even in his youth, Prokhor made a pilgrimage to Kyiv to worship the Caves saints. Here he received an order that he should be tonsured a monk in the Sarov Hermitage. Following the order, Prokhor first became a novice of Elder Joseph in the Sarov Monastery, and in 1786 he took tonsure and was ordained a hierodeacon. Since then, his name sounded like Seraphim, which means "fiery." Seven years later, Seraphim of Sarov was ordained to the rank of hieromonk.

In 1794, the hieromonk decided to retire to a cell on the Sarovka River, five kilometers from his monastery. Seraphim of Sarov led an ascetic life, prayed for a long time, for which, according to the life of the saint, God rewarded him with the gift of healing.

In 1807 Seraphim of Sarov took a vow of silence for three years. In 1810 he returned to the monastery, but went into seclusion until 1825. After the end of the shutter, he received the laity, helping them heal from various ailments. Among its visitors were noble persons, including Tsar Alexander I .

The saint based his life on the basis of the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers. He especially honored the holy champions and zealots of Orthodoxy, and he urged everyone who came to keep an unshakable faith in God. The monk lovingly persuaded many schismatics to abandon their delusions. In 1833, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov departed in peace to the Lord and was found already lifeless in kneeling prayer before the icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness", before which he prayed all his life. But even after his death, many miracles were performed on the grave of the monk, which were carefully collected by their witnesses, and in 1903 the monk was canonized as a saint.

The knowledge that any trials come to us from God, tireless feat and inexplicable, all-encompassing love for every person made the monk a great ascetic, whose name shone throughout the country. Today, believing people continue to flock to the relics of the saint, who, through the prayers of the monk, receive help from God.

On August 1 (according to the new style), 1903, Seraphim of Sarov was canonized. The incorruptible relics of the monk were opened with great honors and placed in a specially prepared shrine.

August 1 1914 - Russia entered the First World War

The official reason for the start of the war of the First World War (or as it was then called (before the revolution) - the Great Patriotic War) was the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which was committed by the Serbian student Gavrila Princip, a member of the terrorist organization Mlada Bosna. Taking advantage of the situation, Austria-Hungary and Germany began a general mobilization, and Germany did it covertly. One month after the murderAustria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. The Russian government immediately declared that it would not allow the occupation of the Slavic state. To which Germany put forward an ultimatum, if Russia continues to mobilize, then Germany will be forced to declare war on her. This happened the very next day, August 1st. At the same time, the Germans invaded Luxembourg, providing their army with access to the French border. On August 3, Germany declared war on France and Belgium, which forced England to enter the war, acting as a guarantor of Belgian neutrality. On August 6, Austria-Hungary declared war on Russia. And so, the First World War began swiftly and irreversibly. Later, Japan, Italy, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire joined it.

The war, which lasted more than four years - until November 11, 1918 - caused the collapse of four empires at once - Russian, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and German.

One of the revered holidays in Russia, on this day they honored Elijah the prophet, who was born in I X century BC in the State of Israel. Elijah was a zealous Jew and fought against idolatry, and at that time King Ahab ruled in Israel, whose wife Jezebel tried to establish a cult of the pagan god Baal. What the prophet could not allow in any way, he wanted to preserve the true shrines of the Jews. Once Ilya personally executedpagan priests who arranged a sacrifice on Mount Carmel.Endowed with a special gift, the prophet began to perform miracles in order to show the royal family what was true and what was false. Once he sent a three-year famine to the country of wicked rulers. By such actions, Elijah greatly angered Queen Jezebel and she vowed to kill him, but the prophet hid in the desert.Later, when he returned to the kingdom of Israel, he nevertheless humbled the ruler of Ahab. It is believed that Elijah was taken to Heaven alive: “suddenly a fiery chariot and fiery horses appeared” and took the prophet away. Thanks to this image, the saint received the nickname Ilya the Thunderer among the people: they said that it was he who, rushing across the sky in a fiery chariot and trying to strike the unclean serpent, lets out thunder and lightning. In the old days in Russia, on Ilyin's Day, they held religious processions and prayed to the prophet for rain or, conversely, for clear weather - depending on what was needed. In addition, according to beliefs, rainwater collected at this time relieved both the evil eye and eye diseases.

In spring and autumn, heavy rains washed out the roads, so the rails were the only all-weather way to supply weapons, food, and emergency reinforcements. Of course, transport aviation also performed all these functions, but it could not transport heavy cargo or military equipment. Therefore, the uninterrupted operation of the railways was a key factor in the conduct of the war. BesidesNazi propaganda widely advertised the future operation near Kursk, promising that "the summer offensive will decide the fate of Europe."Guided by this fact, the Soviet command decided to strike at the railway tracks used by the German bloc. The role of performers was assigned to partisan detachments. And already 9June 1943, a resolution was adopted: "On the destruction of the enemy's railway communications by the method of rail warfare." During the crash of trains near Mogilev, unfamiliar powerful tanks were found among the equipment dumped down a slope. These were "Tigers", intended for battles near Kursk. A real rail war unfolded on the night of August 3, assault partisan detachmentshit the German units defending the railway infrastructure.After the destruction of the security garrisons, demolition workers took over. On a vast territoryfront length over 1000 km and depth up to 700 km in fact, thousands of explosions were heard at the same time.

As a result of a month and a half campaign, approximately 215,000 rails, which amounted to over 1500 km of tracks. In some sections, railway communication was interrupted for a month. Enemy traffic was reduced by 35-40%. The invaders suffered huge losses in locomotives and wagons. Only the partisans of Belarus wereover 800 trains were derailed, 180 railway bridges were destroyed.

Partisan detachments opened, in fact, a second front, thereby making a significant contribution to the victory of our troops in the Battle of Kursk and the success of the summer-autumn military campaign of 1943 as a whole.

August 4 - Day of Remembrance of the Myrrh-bearing Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene, forever included in the gospel history, was born in a small town called Magdala. According to legend, she was beautiful and led a sinful life, as the Gospel says - “The Lord cast out seven demons from her,” after which the girl began life from scratch. Mary became a disciple of Jesus and was faithful to him both in the days of glory and in the days of humiliation. She was present during the days of the burial of the Lord and the resurrection. After these events, Mary, along with other women, remained all the next day at rest, for the day of that Sabbath was great, which coincided that year with the feast of Easter.

Further, her life continued in Italy, in the city of Rome, where, together with other ascetics, she continued her reverence and promotion of the gospel sermons. She selflessly served the Church with her labors, daily exposed to danger. According to legend, Mary was in Rome until the arrival of the Apostle Paul, then, at an advanced age, she left for Ephesus to the holy Apostle John. He wrote the 20th chapter of his Gospel from her words. It was in Ephesus that Mary Magdalene ended her earthly life.

In the 15th century, her relics were transferred to Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, and placed in the temple of the monastery of St. Lazarus. During the beginning of the Crusades, the relics were transferred to Italy under the altar of the Roman Lutheran Cathedral. Now part of the relics is located in France near the city of Marseille, where a temple was erected in honor of St. Mary Magdalene.

The Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of Mary Magdalene on the second Sunday after Easter.

During the Russo-Polish war (1654-1667), to cover all military expenses, the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich decided to carry out a monetary reform. It consisted in the fact that instead of silver coins they began to issue copper coins, equated to the value of silver. This led to the mass production of counterfeit coins, a sharp rise in prices and the depreciation of the ruble. Discontent among the population increased. On the night of August 4, 1662, July 25, according to the old calendar, “thieves' sheets” were pasted all over Moscow, listing the names of all those responsible for the financial crisis, fell into disgrace:the boyars Miloslavsky, who headed the orders of the Great Treasury, the head of the order of the Grand Palace, the roundabout Rtishchev, the head of the Armory, the roundabout Khitrovo, the clerk Bashmakov, Shorin, Zadorin and many others. On the same morning, a mass uprising began, the dissatisfied went to the village of Kolomenskoye, where Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was at that moment, demanding to extradite everyone who was on the "thieves' sheets". To which the boyars promised the rebels to reduce taxes and conduct an investigation at their request. Believing the promises, the participants of the uprising went back, but on the way the first wave of the rebels met with the second, as a result they united and all together moved to the royal residence. Approaching the gates, the townspeople resumed their demands, threatening that if the boyars were not handed over, they themselves would take them in the palace.

But during this time, the king managed to gather archers. On his orders, they attacked the crowd, armed only with sticks and knives. During the fight, about 900 citizens were killed, and the next day about 20 people were hanged. However, the copper money that served as a direct cause for the rebellion was abolished by the royal Decree in April 1663.

August 5, 1675 - Celebration in honor of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God

Known throughout the Slavic world and one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Orthodox Church, the miraculous icon of the Pochaev Mother of God. It is called miraculous for a reason, the icon has more than once helped believers recover from ailments, many of such cases are attested in monastic books.The celebration in honor of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God was established in memory of the deliverance of the Dormition Pochaev Lavra from the Turkish siege on July 20-23, 1675. During the Zbarazh war with the Turks (1674-1696), the troops of Khan Nurredin surrounded the Pechersk monastery from three sides. The flimsy monastery fence could not withstand the siege, so Abbot Joseph Dobromirsky persuaded the brethren and laity to seek help from the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job of Pochaev. With the first words of the Chosen Governor, the Most Pure Theotokos Herself suddenly appeared above the temple with heavenly angels holding naked swords. The Monk Job was near the Mother of God, bowing to Her and praying for the protection of the monastery. The Tatars mistook the heavenly host for a ghost, in confusion they began to shoot at the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job, but the arrows returned back and wounded those who let them go. Horror seized the enemy. In a stampede, not dismantling their own, they killed each other.

The icon has been kept for more than 400 years in the monastery of the Ternopil region of Ukraine, the Pochaev Lavra.

August 6 - Day of the blessed princes Boris and Gleb, in the holy Baptism of Roman and David (1015)

Holy believersmartyr princesBoris and Gleb (in Holy Baptism Roman and David) were the younger sons of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. Brought up in Christian piety, they were distinguished by mercy and kindness of heart, imitating the example of their father, who was merciful and sympathetic to the poor, sick, and destitute. In the internecine struggle that broke out after the death of their father in 1015, they were killed by their elder brother Svyatopolk the Accursed. The life of the holy martyrs was sacrificed to the main Christian good deed - love. The holy brothers showed that evil cannot be repaid with evil, even under the threat of death. Blessed Princes Passion-Bearersthey did not want to raise a hand against their brother, but the Lord Himself took revenge on the power-hungry tyrant. Boris and Gleb became the first Russian saints, they were canonizedmartyrs-passion-bearers, making them intercessors of the Russian land and heavenly helpers of the Russian princes.

August 6, 1945 - Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima

Early morning american bomber B-29 dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima - this is how the first atomic bomb in the history of mankind exploded. The explosion killedand about 200 thousand people went missing, about 160 thousand people were injured and exposed to radioactive irradiation. The vast majority of the dead were civilians. Three days after this tragedy, on August 9, 1945, the Americans dropped an atomic bomb on the second Japanese city of Nagasaki.
Survivors of the bombing were 16 times more likely to die of leukemia and 8 times more likely to suffer from cancer. The atomic bombs detonated more than half a century ago over Hiroshima and Nagasaki continue to kill, and every year the list of victims increases by several hundred people. The events held on the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are now aimed at ensuring that new generations can understand the full horror experienced by the victims of the atomic catastrophe.

August 6 1961 - Soviet cosmonaut German Titov made the second space flight in history

On this day the whole world knewabout a new space triumph - the world's first daily flight into space, and it was made by the Soviet cosmonaut German Titov.His flight lasted 25 hours 11 minutes, during which time he circled the Earth 17 times on the Vostok-2 spacecraft.

The landing point of German Titov was in the Saratov region. At an altitude of 7 km, the catapult went off, the parachute opened. Looking around, the cosmonaut saw with horror that he was being carried to the railway, and a train was rushing across, like in a movie. Return from space and die under the wheels of a train ... Titov landed 5 km from the railway tracks.

German Titov always considered his space flight "not a feat, but his duty, the duty of a soldier, a citizen of the Soviet Union, his duty, work."

8 August 2000 - In Moscow, a terrorist act was committed in an underground passage under Pushkinskaya Square

At about six o'clock in the evening, almost at "rush hour", a powerful explosion thundered in the underground passage under Pushkinskaya Square. A little later it turned out that the explosion was caused by a homemade device with a capacity of 800 grams, in TNT equivalent. The bomb was left by terrorists in a shopping bag next to the pavilion where they sold watches. As a result of the attack, 13 people were killed and about 60 people were injured.

August 9 - Memorial Day of the Great Martyr and Healer Pantoleon

Great Martyr and Healer Pantoleon Born in the city of Nicomedia (Asia Minor), in the family of a noble pagan Eustorgius and the holy Christian Evvula. From childhood, she tried to instill faith in Christ in her son, but, unfortunately, she ended her earthly life early. father gave Pantoleon to a pagan school, and then taught him the art of medicine from the famous physician Euphrosynus.

Young Pantoleon, possessing good behavior, eloquence, extraordinary beauty and medical talent, was introduced to Emperor Maximian (284-305), who decided to leave him as a court physician.

At the same time, the holy martyrs Yermolai, Yermipp and Yermocrates, who survived after the burning of 20,000 Christians in the Church of Nicodemus (303), secretly made their way to Nicodemia and settled. One of them has seena good-looking young man and perspicaciously saw in him the chosen vessel of the grace of God and called Pantoleon to him. During the conversation, the holy martyr told him about the basic truths of the Orthodox faith. From that time on, Pantoleon began to visit Hieromartyr Yermolai every day and listen with pleasure to what God's servant revealed to him about Jesus Christ.

Once Pantoleon saw a dead boy lying on the road, bitten by a viper. Showing compassion, Pantoleon began to ask the Lord to resurrect the dead and kill the poisonous reptile. He firmly decided that if his prayer was fulfilled, he would become a Christian and receive holy Baptism. The child immediately came to life, and the echidna at the same moment shattered into pieces. After this incident, Pantoleon received the sacrament of baptism. In Nicodemia, Pantoleon was a famous good doctor, and one day a blind man was brought to him, whom no one could heal. “Light will return to your eyes the Father of light. True God, the saint said to him, “in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, who enlightens the blind, see!” The blind man immediately received his sight, and with him the father of the saint, Evstorgius, spiritually received his sight, and both joyfully accepted holy Baptism. The fact that Pantoleon could heal anyone aroused the envy of other doctors, and they decided to inform the emperor that Saint Pantoleon was a Christian and was treating Christian prisoners.

The ruler tried to persuade the saint to refute the denunciation, but instead, in front of the emperor, Pantoleon healed the patient with the help of prayer.

Enraged, Maximian ordered the execution of Pantoleon and give him the most severe torment. “Lord Jesus Christ! Show me at this moment, give me patience so that I can endure the torment to the end! the saint prayed and heard a voice: “Do not be afraid, I am with you.” The Lord appeared to him “in the form of Presbyter Yermolai” and strengthened him before suffering. They hung the Great Martyr Pantoleon on a tree and tore the body with iron hooks, burned it with candles, stretched it on a wheel, threw it into boiling tin, plunged it into the sea with a stone around its neck. However, in all the tortures, the courageous Pantoleon remained unharmed. By order of the emperor, the holy great martyr Pantoleon was brought to the circus and thrown to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. But the animals licked his feet and pushed each other away, trying to touch the saint's hand. Seeing this, the audience rose from their seats and began to shout: “Great is the Christian God! May the innocent and righteous youth be released!” Enraged, Maximian ordered the soldiers to kill with swords all those who praised the Lord Jesus, and even to kill the animals that did not touch the holy martyr. Seeing this, Saint Pantoleon exclaimed: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, that not only people, but also animals die for You!” Then the emperor ordered that Pantoleon's head be cut off, but when the executioner touched his neck with a sword, the sword became soft as wax and did not inflict any wound. Struck by the miracle, the soldiers shouted: “Great is the Christian God!” At this time, the Lord once again revealed himself to the saint, calling him Panteleimon (which means "many-merciful") instead of the former name Pantoleon.

11th August - Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

Nicholas the Wonderworker was born in 258in the city of Patara, not far from Lycia, on the southern coast of the Asia Minor peninsula. For a long time, his parents Feofan and Nona could not have children, for which they constantly prayed to God. One fine day their prayers were heard, the Lord sent them a son. In gratitude, they vowed to dedicate their only child to the service of God. From the very first minutes of his life, Nikolai began to work miracles - during childbirth, he healed his mother from a serious illness. Another miracle was the fact that during his baptism, the infant Nicholas stood on his feet for three hours, supported by no one, thereby honoring the Most Holy Trinity. Also, from infancy, he began to fast and drank mother's milk only on Wednesdays and Fridays. Growing up, Nicholas studied the Divine Scriptures, spent his days in prayer, showed mercy to his neighbors, and came to the aid of those who were suffering.

During his lifetime, St. Nicholas performed many miracles - more than once he saved those drowning in the sea, led them out of captivity and imprisonment in dungeons, healed people from ailments and even resurrected them, fought for the truth. He lived a worthy life and, having reached a ripe old age, died peacefully.

Saint Nicholas has long been revered by many peoples. Celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker initially began in local churches in Asia Minor, where

The saint served as an Archbishop, and in the homeland of his parents - in Patara. Then, at the time of the Crusades, this holiday could spread throughout the Nicaean Empire and from there penetrate into Russia, where this saint was honored from ancient times. It is known that in X III century, the tradition of celebrating his Nativity in the Russian Orthodox Church already existed, and in Veliky Novgorod there was a monastery dedicated to the Nativity of St. Nicholas. There is still evidence that one of the surviving church services dedicated to this holiday was composed at the time of Patriarchate Nikon in 1657. However, during the reign of Catherine the Great, the church-wide celebration of the Nativity of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Russia was abolished. Several centuries later, the celebration was resumed, and in honor of the feast of the Nativity of St. Nicholas, a troparion and kontakion, known from ancient times in the liturgical life of the Russian Orthodox Church, were composed.

August 12, 2000 - The catastrophe of the nuclear submarine "Kursk"

One of the most tragic dates at the beginning of the third millennium, the disaster occurred during exercises in the Barents Sea. SubmarineAPRK K-141 "Kursk"sank at a depth of 108 meters, 118 people died on board.The remains of most of them were later brought to the surface and buried. On August 26, 2000, the Decree of the President of Russia was signed to perpetuate the memory of his crew.

From 1995 to 2000, the submarine was part of the Russian Northern Fleet. In March 1995, the rector of the Kursk Theological Seminary, Bishop of Belgorod Vladyka John, consecrated the nuclear submarine. Then he presented the crew with a copy of the 700-year-old icon of the Kursk Mother of God, and each submariner with small icons depicting Saint Nicholas, the patron and protector of sailors. In 1999, during the NATO operation against Yugoslavia, Kursk conducted covert surveillance of the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, aircraft from which attacked Yugoslavia. During the Mediterranean campaign, the Kursk worked out 5 conditional attacks on real targets.

According to unofficial data, on the day of the sinking of the submarine, two NATO boats were secretly watching the exercises in the Barents Sea. One of them accidentally collided with our atamahod. On the "Kursk" they played a combat alarm. At this time, the second NATO boat, having heard the noise of the opening torpedo hatches of the Russian submarine, delivered a preemptive strike with a torpedo that landed in the central compartment. This is evidenced by a hole in the body of the Kursk. This version is also supported by the fact that after the accident, the entire northern aviation was raised into the air by alarm, which for several days was looking for an unknown submarine ...

The first Russian air force appeared thanks to the last Emperor Nicholas II, it was he who ordered the formation of the first aviation unit in 1912 by his decree. Thus, he created a completely new branch of the military - the Imperial Air Force.

August 12 is considered to be the beginning of the creation of Russian military aviation. At the dawn of the history of the Air Force, the main function of aviation was reconnaissance. After the appearance of the famous "Ilya Muromets" by Sikorsky, long-range aviation began to develop.

The Air Force of the USSR had no equal in terms of the number of combat aircraft, because the "air shield" was supposed to reliably cover the "tank sword" and the "big fleet" of the Land of the Soviets. In the 70 post-war years, Soviet aviation has gone from wartime plywood piston aircraft to fourth-generation supersonic aircraft.

Russian Air Force Day is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of August.

August 16, 1941 - Order No. 270 of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Red Army was issued

During the Great Patriotic War, Order No. 270 of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command “On the responsibility of military personnel for surrendering and leaving weapons to the enemy” was issued, according to which each soldier had to fight to the end, it was forbidden to surrender. In case of violation of the order, a person was declared a deserter or a traitor to the Motherland and was subject to immediate execution.

The order was signed by the Chairman of the USSR State Defense Committee Joseph Stalin, Deputy Chairman Vyacheslav Molotov, Marshals of the Soviet Union Semyon Budyonny, Kliment Voroshilov, Semyon Timoshenko, Boris Shaposhnikov and General of the Army Georgy Zhukov.

August 19 1960 - The Soviet spacecraft "Vostok" with the dogs Belka and Strelka on board made a daily flight with a return to Earth

The first living creatures sent into space were two Soviet mongrel dogs Belka and Strelka. They made an orbital space flight lasting more than 25 hours, flying around the Earth 17 times, after which they returned home safe and sound. Both dogs were doing great. The arrow left behind numerous offspring. And one of her puppies - Fluff - was presented to the wife of the American president, Jacqueline Kennedy.

It is known that Belka and Strelka were doubles of the main composition of the astronaut dogs Chaika and Chanterelle, whodied on a bad start July 28, 1960 . At the 19th second of flight, the side block of the first stage collapsed at the launch vehicle, as a result of which it fell and exploded.

August 23 - Day of military glory of Russia - Day of victory of the Soviet troops in the Battle of Kursk (1943)

During the Great Patriotic War, the Battle of Kursk became decisive; it lasted from July 5 to August 23, 1943. It was this battle that destroyed the plans of the Nazi command to conduct a major offensive.in the summer of 1943, seize the strategic initiative and turn the tide of the war in their favor.

As a result of the battle, the Third Reich lost 30 divisions, including seven tank divisions, over 500 thousand soldiers and officers, 1.5 thousand tanks, more than 3.7 thousand aircraft, 3 thousand guns. The losses of the Soviet troops surpassed the German ones - they amounted to 863 thousand people, including 254 thousand irretrievable. Near Kursk, the Red Army lost about six thousand tanks.

More than 100,000 soldiers, officers and generals of the Red Army were awarded orders and medals for their courage and heroism in the Battle of Kursk, and 180 especially distinguished soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

August, 26th 1382 - Tatar Khan Tokhtamysh captured and burned Moscow

Two years after the victory of Russia on Kulikovsky, the Tatar Khan Tokhtamysh set off for Moscow with a large army. On the 4th day of the siege, he captured, plundered and burned the city. This time, the Russian princes could not unite.

The Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Donskoy did not come out to fight, he disappeared with his family in Kostroma. The defense of Moscow was led by the young Lithuanian prince Ostei. For two days Muscovites stubbornly defended themselves. Then Tokhtamysh decided to take Moscow by cunning, sending Nizhny Novgorod princes Vasily Kirdyapa and Semyon Dmitrievich to negotiations. The princes swore that Tokhtamysh would pardon the Muscovites if they surrendered. August 26, 1382 Moscow surrendered. The insidious Khan, of course, did not fulfill his promise. Many people were killed, the city was plundered. After that, the Tatars took Pereyaslavl, Vladimir, Yuryev, Zvenigorod, Mozhaisk and other cities near Moscow, imposing tribute on them.

August 26, 1395 - The Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was transferred to Moscow from Vladimir.

The Vladimir icon of the Mother of God was painted in I century by the apostle Luke. He wrote it on a board from the table at which Jesus Christ and the Mother of God had previously sat. B X II century, the icon was presented to Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky. Later, his descendant Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon to the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir.The icon has repeatedly shown its miracles to the world. In 1395, she saved Moscow from the invasion of Khan Timur. When there was no longer any hope of defeating the enemy hordes, the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily Dmitrievich sent to Vladimir for the miraculous icon. The journey to Moscow lasted 10 days. At this time, people were kneeling on the sides of the road and praying. In Moscow, the icon was met on August 26. At this time, Tamerlane was sleeping in a tent and saw in a dream a high mountain, from which saints with golden rods descended to him. Above them in the air, illuminated by the divine light and surrounded by the host of heaven, stood a woman radiating light. The wise men told the khan that in a dream a sign had been sent to him from above, that the Mother of God herself stood up to defend the Russian land. The chroniclers wrote: "And Tamerlane fled, persecuted by the power of the Blessed Virgin." In honor of this event, the Sretensky Monastery was built at the meeting place of the icon, and the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God moved to Moscow and was installed in the cathedral built in honor of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos. Before her, kings were anointed to the kingdom and high hierarchs were elected. In Soviet times, the icon was placed in the Tretyakov Gallery. In September 1999, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God was transferred to the church of St. Nicholas at the Tretyakov Gallery.

August 29 1479 - Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin consecrated

Assumption Cathedral was the first stone church in Moscow. He is now the oldestfrom fully preserved buildings in Moscow. Since 1991 it has been the cathedral of the Moscow Patriarch and All Russia.

The temple was built by an Italian architectAristotle Fioravanti and repeats the outlines of the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir. After construction, it became the main cathedral of the Muscovite state, the tomb of Moscow metropolitans and patriarchs, as well as the coronation site of Russian tsars. It was here in 1547 that Ivan IV the Terrible was first crowned. In 1625, the Robe of the Lord, sent as a gift to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich by the Persian Shah Abbas I, was transferred to the cathedral. In 1812, the cathedral was desecrated and plundered by the Napoleonic army, although the most valuable shrines were evacuated to Vologda. Of the tombs of the saints, only the shrine of Metropolitan Jonah survived. The cathedral was re-consecrated on August 30, 1813 by Bishop Augustin (Vinogradsky) of Dmitrovsky.