Seraphim of Sarov is one of the most revered Orthodox saints. There are many unusual facts associated with this person that every believer will be interested to know.

Seraphim of Sarov is highly revered by the church because of his deeds. He endured many problems on the way to harmony with the outside world and with God. Some of his feats are still considered impossible, so faith plays a big role in matters of authenticity. Those who are strong in their faith make a pilgrimage to Diveevo to the relics of the saint in order to lay their hands and head on the place where one of the greatest Russian saints rests in peace. January 15 is the official day of remembrance of the saint according to the church calendar.

The history and miracles of Seraphim of Sarov

This great man was born in Kursk in 1754. Despite the fact that Seraphim's family was rich and noble, he devoted himself to God. The child's father died when he was still at an early age.

Miracles began to happen to him as a child. Prokhor, as the saint was called before becoming a monk, once fell from the bell tower, but remained unharmed. Soon he became seriously ill, but the Virgin Mary came to him in a dream and promised to heal him. After some time this happened. The boy was surrounded by faith, so he devoted a lot of his personal time to the study of Christianity. His faith grew stronger day by day.

When Prokhor turned 17 years old, he decided to leave his father's house. He took monastic vows on the advice of the elder at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The choice fell on the Sarov Monastery in Tambov. He became a novice in 1778 and a full monk in 1786. He was awarded the rank of hieromonk after another seven years. Monk Seraphim always had a penchant for solitude, so he tried to live away from other people. He lived in a cell in the forest, looked for food for himself, observed strict fasting and constantly prayed. He did not consider this a feat - this was his sincere desire.

According to historical sources, Seraphim was engaged in pillarism, that is, constant prayer for many years. He prayed on a stone, which people learned about and began to come to him for advice. Day and night he devoted himself entirely to prayer. They say that miraculously wild animals constantly came to him, including even bears, which the saint fed with bread. In the forest, a misfortune befell him - bad people received news that rich people were visiting him, leaving him gifts. The robbers found the place of solitude of Seraphim of Sarov and brutally beat him, causing serious injuries. After the monk recovered, he remained hunched over for the rest of his life. They say that he did not even resist, and later completely forgave his offenders, declaring that they needed to be released. These people were never brought to justice.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the saint took a vow of silence, which he tried to fulfill for almost 20 years. For the last 7-8 years of his life, he healed people’s illnesses and received everyone who wanted to see him. Even Tsar Alexander the First was among the guests. The elder died at the age of 78 while praying. He was canonized only 70 years after his death. August 1 marks the discovery of the relics of the saint, and January 15 is the official day of remembrance and name day for all men with the name Seraphim.

January 15 is the day of memory of Seraphim of Sarov

People like monk Seraphim can be counted on one hand. But almost no one had devoted faith and dedication. He demonstrated fortitude and faith in Christ, which helped him live a worthy life.

Icons and prayers are dedicated to Elder Seraphim. It is believed that Saint Seraphim helps us in alleviating suffering and healing illnesses. Every home should have an icon of this saint, which will bring good luck to all believers. Prayers in front of the icon of Seraphim of Sarov help restore faith in God, so mothers of children who have lost faith in God often resort to this prayer.

On January 15, every church in the Orthodox world remembers the life of St. Seraphim year after year. On this day, clergy recommend not to quarrel with loved ones, do only good deeds and believe in miracles. God is merciful to everyone who devotes their time to prayers on this day.

Prayers to Seraphim of Sarov have special power not only on Memorial Day or August 1st. On January 15 and any other day, ask the monk to pray for our souls and for the health of all loved ones. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and

11.01.2017 06:05

On February 6, 2017, Christians celebrate the day of remembrance of Saint Xenia of St. Petersburg. Her veneration was lifelong...

The question of what holiday is today is relevant every day. The interest of the residents of our country is enormous for the simple reason that every new day is fraught with some kind of memorable date or event of a corresponding nature.

Today, January 15, is no exception. Let's tell you in more detail about several holidays that affect both Russia and the whole world. In addition, we need to dwell in more detail on the church holiday. Summarizing this, we note that today the following holidays are celebrated: World Snow Day, World Religion Day and Remembrance Day of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

In 2012, another good tradition appeared in the world. Since the winter of 2012, on one Sunday in January, at the initiative of the International Ski Federation (FIS), a new holiday is celebrated - World Snow Day. Its other name is International Winter Sports Day.

The purpose of the holiday is to increase interest in winter sports and involve young people in an active lifestyle. According to the FIS, “snow festivals” should take place on this day, during which children and adults will be able to take part in competitions on skates, skis or snowboards. According to the organizers, “this day will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the snow, meet someone and plunge into the bright future of winter sports, which will be perceived not only as competition, but also as entertainment.”

“Today’s children are often pessimistic about the future, and we hope that through this event we can show them and their families how much fun they can have thanks to snow, while maintaining a healthy, safe and environmentally friendly lifestyle,” said the President of the International Ski Federation Gian-Franco Kasper.

The organization of this holiday was the second step in the implementation of the FIS program "Let's take children to the snow." The date of Snow Day was not chosen by chance: at the end of January, when the Christmas and New Year holiday season ends, it is important to draw attention to the ski resorts.

Today, January 15, 2017, what a holiday: World Religion Day

"There is one God - there are many paths to him." This truth has existed for decades, and maybe longer. It symbolizes, in essence, the variety of earthly roads leading to the Creator, which are religious movements, or, in other words, confessions. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism - each of these directions is nothing more than an ordered faith, “chained” in tradition.

Every year on the third Sunday in January, the world celebrates a unique, solemn and somewhat historical date - World Religion Day.

The founders of World Religion Day were adherents of Baha'ism. The Bahá'í teachings are based on the principles of the unity of God, the unity of faith and the unity of peoples. In accordance with this philosophy, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States declared World Religion Day in 1949 to teach that religion should be a unifying force and not a cause of division. The Spiritual Assembly called on all believers to recognize that all religions have the right to exist, and they are united by common spiritual goals, so since 1950 it was decided to celebrate the holiday at the international level.

Every religion is a valuable heritage of humanity and deserves the most careful attention and study. Therefore, the most important task today is to fight back against all kinds of abuses in religion, and especially when it is drawn into extremist movements. It is necessary to create all conditions for its creative and creative potential in every area of ​​human activity. For multinational Russia, this is an extremely important issue. In our state, work is continuously carried out at the highest level, where pressing issues are raised about nationalities and small nations living in the country, about spiritual enlightenment, about respect and tolerance for each other, because this serves as the basis for maintaining peace and harmony in the future and the present.

The Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov twice a year. The discovery of his relics in 1903 is celebrated on August 1. And on January 15, Orthodox Christians celebrate the repose of the saint. On the days of memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov, festive services are held in churches and monasteries throughout Russia, and men who bear the name of the saint celebrate their name days.

The future ascetic was born in 1754 in Kursk, into the merchant family of the Moshnins. Since childhood, he dreamed of a monastic life and at the age of 24 he went to the Sarov Hermitage in the territory of what is now the Nizhny Novgorod region.

Having lived for a considerable time in the monastery, Monk Seraphim, with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery, built himself a cell in a deep forest several kilometers from the monastery. He lived there for more than 15 years, coming to the monastery only on Sundays and holidays. During his retreat, the monk was attacked by robbers who brutally beat him, as a result of which he remained hunched over for the rest of his life - this is how he is depicted on icons. However, Seraphim forgave his offenders and asked not to punish them.

The monk's time of solitude was associated with special prayer works. The saint fought against strong spiritual temptation with the feat of stylite life. For a thousand days and nights, with raised hands, the Monk Seraphim prayed on a stone: during the day - in his cell, and at night - in the forest. Later, he took upon himself the feat of silence for three years, at which time he stopped even visiting the monastery.

For his colossal labors, the ascetic acquired the gifts of clairvoyance and miracle-working, and after a long retreat he began to accept everyone who came to him for advice and consolation. Contemporaries of Seraphim of Sarov especially noted that the saint healed not so much with a gentle word, but with the love and joy that emanated from him. The monk addressed any person with tenderness, “my joy.”

It just so happened that even during his lifetime, Seraphim of Sarov was respected; people from all over Russia flocked to the monastery to hear his instructions regarding spiritual life and to receive advice. After the peaceful death of the saint in 1833, veneration became special. According to eyewitnesses, miracles were often performed at his grave. In 1903, the monk was canonized.

On this day it was customary to clean chicken coops (Photo: Ivonne Wierink, Shutterstock)

Old style date: January 2

The day got its name in honor of a church holiday - St. Sylvester's Day. Pope Sylvester I lived in the 4th century and became famous for his miracle. According to legend, he caught the sea serpent Leviathan and thereby prevented the end of the world.

Also on this day, Russian people celebrated the day of Kur and Kurki, or Chicken holiday. On this day it was customary to clean chicken coops. In Rus' there was a belief that on this day a seven-year-old black rooster lays an egg, and in the summer the serpent Basilisk will be born from it. To protect the chicken coop from evil spirits, a black stone with a hole was hung in it - the “chicken god”. In addition, old women fumigated chicken coops with tar and elecampane to protect poultry from night blindness and ward off evil spirits - feverish spirits. On this day, children received new toys - clay cockerels.

People used to tell fortunes about Sylvester using bulbs (Photo: Ekaterina Kondratova, Shutterstock) They told fortunes about Sylvester using bulbs. We cleaned 12 pieces (while trying not to cry), put a pinch of salt on each and left them on the stove until the morning. Whichever bulb turns out to be wet is the month that will be rainy. There were also simpler signs for the weather. At night they looked at the month: if both horns are sharp and bright - towards the wind; if both horns are steep - to frost; sloping horns foreshadowed bad weather. Magpies also promised a blizzard if they flew near a dwelling.

However, the frosts at this time did not surprise anyone. People said: “On this day, not only is it cold and frosty on the ground, but also underground. Frost drives out the dashing sisters with illnesses from underground". It was considered useful to read a spell against illness on Sylvester; They said that on this day he has special power.

Name day on this day

Vasily, Kuzma, Mark, Modest, Peter, Seraphim, Sergey, Sylvester, Ulyana

The Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov twice a year. The discovery of his relics in 1903 is celebrated on August 1. And on January 15, Orthodox Christians celebrate the repose of the saint.

On the days of memory of St. Seraphim of Sarov, festive services are held in churches and monasteries throughout Russia, and men who bear the name of the saint celebrate their name days. The future ascetic was born in 1754 in Kursk, into the merchant family of the Moshnins.

Since childhood, he dreamed of a monastic life and at the age of 24 he went to the Sarov Hermitage in what is now the Nizhny Novgorod region. Having lived for a considerable time in the monastery, Monk Seraphim, with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery, built himself a cell in a deep forest several kilometers from the monastery.

He lived there for more than 15 years, coming to the monastery only on Sundays and holidays. During his retreat, the monk was attacked by robbers who brutally beat him, as a result of which he remained hunched over for the rest of his life - this is how he is depicted on icons. However, Seraphim forgave his offenders and asked not to punish them.

The monk's time of solitude was associated with special prayer works. The saint fought against strong spiritual temptation with the feat of stylite life. For a thousand days and nights, with raised hands, the Monk Seraphim prayed on a stone: during the day - in his cell, and at night - in the forest. Later, he took upon himself the feat of silence for three years, at which time he stopped even visiting the monastery.

For his labors, the ascetic acquired the gifts of clairvoyance and miracles, and after a long retreat he began to accept everyone who came to him for advice and consolation. Contemporaries of Seraphim of Sarov especially noted that the saint healed not so much with a gentle word, but with the love and joy that emanated from him.

The monk addressed any person with tenderness, “my joy.” Even during his lifetime, Seraphim of Sarov was respected; people from all over Russia flocked to the monastery to hear his instructions regarding spiritual life and to receive advice. After the peaceful death of the saint in 1833, veneration became special.

According to eyewitnesses, miracles were often performed at his grave. In 1903, the monk was canonized. Now the relics of Seraphim of Sarov rest in the Seraphim-Diveevo convent, which thanks to this is one of the most famous monasteries in Russia. Every year, on the days of the saint’s memory, especially solemn divine services are held here with the participation of the Patriarch, where thousands of pilgrims flock.

International Recognition Day for Croatia

On this day in 1992, the Republic of Croatia, then another of the Yugoslav republics, was internationally recognized by 12 countries of the European Union. On the same day they were joined by Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Switzerland.

The first country to recognize Croatia was Iceland, which made a corresponding decision on December 19, 1991. On January 13, Croatia was recognized by the Vatican, and on January 14 by San Marino.

Back in the fall of 1991, the Republic of Croatia was also recognized by countries that themselves were not yet recognized at that time: Slovenia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia and Estonia.

By the end of January 1992, Croatia was recognized by seven more states: Finland, Romania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. The first Asian country to recognize Croatia, not counting Turkey, was Iran, and the first African country was Egypt. On May 22, 1992, Croatia was admitted to the UN, and by that time it was also recognized by Russia, Japan, the USA, Israel and China.

Since then, Croatia has 48 embassies, six permanent missions in various international organizations, 23 consulates and maintains diplomatic relations with more than 120 countries.

Day of formation of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is not part of the structure of any government body (Photo: senk, Shutterstock)

On January 15, 2011, the Federal Law “On the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation”, signed on December 28, 2010, came into force. This became a reason to add another holiday date to the calendar - Day of formation of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.

As reported in the explanatory note to the bill, the functioning of the Investigative Committee outside the prosecutor's office system will create the necessary conditions for more efficient work of both the prosecutor's office and investigative bodies. The idea was not new: for the first time, Peter I decided to separate the investigative department from other government agencies. The Emperor carried out judicial reform, dividing the criminal process into two stages: preliminary investigation and trial.

In 1713, the first specialized investigative bodies appeared in Russia. They became the major's investigative offices, which reported directly to Peter I and examined cases of the most dangerous acts. These included offenses that encroached on the foundations of statehood: bribery, embezzlement, official forgery, fraud. Investigative bodies, dependent only on the emperor, could remain impartial and objective even in relation to high-ranking officials. Thus, at the beginning of the 18th century, 11 out of 23 Russian senators attracted the attention of investigative offices.

However, immediately after the death of Peter I, independent investigative bodies were abolished, and the preliminary investigation began to be considered as an ordinary procedural procedure of pre-trial proceedings. From 1723 to 1860, the investigation of crimes was carried out by non-specialized bodies: the police chief's office, the detective order, the lower zemstvo courts, and the deanery councils. This is how an administrative model for organizing the investigative apparatus has developed in Russia.

In the 19th century, the shortcomings of such a system became clear, the main one of which was the growth of corruption. During the judicial reform of 1860, Alexander II tried to find new ways to organize the preliminary investigation, but a return to the Peter the Great model was not even considered. As a result, it was decided to remove the investigative bodies from the police and transfer them to the courts. During this period, 993 forensic investigators appeared in 44 provinces of the country. The judicial model laid down by Alexander II later formed the basis of the system of military investigators who were attached to military district courts.

After 1917, investigative units appeared in almost all law enforcement agencies. This was due to the desire of the new government to make justice one of the instruments of class struggle.

In 1927, in the Moscow province, forensic investigators were transferred to the prosecutor's office. The experiment was considered successful, and in 1928 the board of the People's Commissariat of Justice decided to transfer the investigative apparatus to the full control of the prosecutor's office. And in 1929, military investigators became subordinate to the military prosecutor's office. In 1938–1939, investigative units were also established in the state security and police agencies, subordinate to the NKVD of the USSR at that time. In 1963, investigative bodies also appeared in the Ministry of Public Order (later it became the Ministry of Internal Affairs).

In 2007, the Investigative Committee under the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation became a relatively independent agency, but was still part of the system of prosecutorial bodies. The 2011 law returned the model of development of investigative agencies to the idea of ​​​​Peter I. This document established that the leadership of the committee’s activities is carried out by the head of state.

Currently, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation (IC of Russia) is not part of the structure of any government body. It is a federal government body in the country exercising powers in the field of criminal proceedings and other powers in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

Thus, today the employees of the Investigative Committee can celebrate a kind of “independence day”. In any case, this holiday is a good occasion to sum up the work and celebrate distinguished employees of the department.

Let us remind you that the celebration of the professional holiday - the Day of the Investigative Officer of the Russian Federation - is set in our country on July 25.

On this day, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of Seraphim of Sarov.

All Orthodox Christians celebrate the presentation of Seraphim. Today, throughout Russia, in churches and monasteries, clergymen perform a festive service, and men who were named after the saint celebrate their name days. Since childhood, Seraphim dreamed of the life of a monk; when he turned 24, he went to the Sarov hermitage. He lived a lot of time in the monastery, and the abbot of the monastery blessed him to build a cell in a deep forest, which was located 3 kilometers from the monastery. Seraphim lived in this cell for 16 years, and came to the monastery only on Sundays and holidays. When he lived in the forest, he was attacked for the purpose of robbery and severely beaten, because of this he became hunched over, which is exactly how he is depicted on icons. Seraphim forgave the people who maimed him and asked that they not be punished for this. When the monk retired, he constantly prayed on a stone. During the day he read prayers in his cell, and at night he went to the forest to pray. Some time later, he declared a vow of silence for three whole years, during which time he did not even visit the monastery. After spending this time in prayer and repentance, Seraphim was endowed with the gift of clairvoyance and miracles. After his seclusion, he began to accept everyone in need of advice and consolation. Swarovsky healed not even with words, but with the love and joy that emanated from him. Seraphim was greatly respected by the people; people from all over the country came to him, just to listen to sermons on spiritual life. After his death, the saint began to be revered even more. Eyewitnesses say that miracles often happen at his grave. At this time, the remains of the saint are in the Seraphim-Diveevo convent. Every year, on the day of remembrance of Seraphim of Swarovsky, solemn services are held, the Patriarch takes part in them, and a great number of pilgrims come.

International Recognition Day for Croatia

After the collapse of the Yugoslav Union, Croatia was one of the few union republics that managed to maintain peace on its land. On January 15, the young country was recognized by a number of EU countries. Croatia will soon be recognized by Austria, the Bulgarian Republic, Canada, the Polish Republic and the Swiss Confederation. But the first country to recognize and welcome the new state was Iceland. On January 13, the Croatian Republic was recognized by the Vatican and Italy. By the end of January, Croatia will be recognized by a number of states, including Finland, the Romanian Republic, Albania, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Brazilian states, Paraguay and the Bolivian Republic. The first Asian countries to recognize the Republic of Croatia were Türkiye and Iran. Soon it was recognized by Egypt. In May 1991, Croatia was admitted to the UN as a full member. After Croatia's admission to the UN, it was recognized by the Russian Federation, Japan, the United States and China. Since then, Croatia has 48 embassies in different countries of the world. Croatia maintains six permanent missions in various important international organizations. The government of the Croatian Republic maintains diplomatic contacts with 120 countries of the world. January 15th is a big public holiday in Croatia, not inferior in importance to Croatian Independence Day.

More holidays:

Wikipedia Founding Day

A unique universal encyclopedia available to all Internet users. Information in the encyclopedia is available in many languages ​​of the world. The amount of information contained in Wikipedia is the most comprehensive thematic and information source. Another advantage of the virtual encyclopedia is its accessibility; any Internet user can visit Wikipedia without restrictions and get necessary and useful information from there. The predecessor of Wikipedia is considered to be the so-called Nupedia, which in 2001 was improved and simplified, resulting in modern Wikipedia. In May of the same year, the first language modules were introduced into the Wikipedia resource. At the moment, the encyclopedia is able to display its articles in 260 languages. The information and thematic volume of the encyclopedia is steadily growing; Wikipedia is one of the ten most beloved and visited sites in the world. A unique feature of Wikipedia is the professionalism and objectivity of the information posted on it. After all, not only ordinary users, but also eminent scientists and public figures take part in editing the encyclopedia. The Russian-language part of the encyclopedia contains more than half a million articles, which is seven times more than the Great Soviet Encyclopedia contained. The basic principle of Wikipedia is neutrality and objectivity of information. January 15 is considered the founding day of Wikipedia.

Day of formation of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation

The new holiday was established on January 15 on the basis of the law “On the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation.” The Investigative Committee was called upon to work outside the prosecutorial system. The idea of ​​separating the investigative department from other law enforcement agencies was hatched by Emperor Peter. Then the tsar carried out a radical judicial reform, as a result of which it was possible to divide investigative actions into preliminary and judicial proceedings. Since 2007, the investigative committee, being within the structure of the prosecutorial service, has become a relatively independent agency from prosecutorial supervision. The law of January 15, 2011 streamlined the activities of the investigative committee and separated it from the prosecutor’s office. The law clearly establishes that the immediate head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is the President of Russia. Thus, the new federal service is not part of any law enforcement structure and reports directly to the head of state. Thus, the separation of the bodies of preliminary inquiry, prosecutorial supervision and judicial execution makes a significant contribution to reforming the legal system of the state. The Law on the Investigative Committee is an example of the state’s real fight against corruption in law enforcement agencies. In addition, the independent activities of the new state structure are capable of preventing abuses associated with the implementation of law enforcement activities by various subjects of the legal field.

Sylvester Day, or Chicken Holiday

This day was named after a church holiday called St. Sylvester's Day. This pope lived in the fourth century and became famous for performing a miracle. There is a legend that says that Sylvester caught a sea serpent, and with this deed prevented the end of the world.
Also on this day in ancient times, the Chicken Festival was celebrated. On this day there was a tradition of cleaning chicken coops. In ancient Rus', according to legend, a black rooster, which is five years old, must lay an egg from which the Basilisk serpent will be born. The peasants tried to protect the chicken coop from evil spirits by hanging a “chicken” god in it, which was a black stone with a hole. In addition, chicken coops should be fumigated with tar and elecampane; it was believed that this protected chickens from blindness and drove away fever. On this holiday, children were spoiled with new toys, clay cockerels. On this day there was a custom of fortune telling using bulbs. It was necessary to peel twelve pieces of onions, put a little salt on each onion, and leave them on the stove until the morning. In the morning we checked the bulbs, which bulb was wet, there will be a lot of rain that month. There were other signs associated with the weather. It was customary to look at the month at night; if the month had sharp and bright ends, it meant there would be wind; if the ends are steep, you need to wait for frost; sloping horns predicted bad weather. When peasants noticed magpies flying near their houses, it was a sign of a blizzard.

Historical events:

On January 15, 2006, a woman became President of Chile

In Chile, the head of state is endowed with truly “royal” powers; he simultaneously heads the state and government, personally forms the cabinet of ministers, has the primary right of legislative initiative in the country’s parliament, and is the supreme commander-in-chief of the Chilean army. Since 2006, the head of state has been elected by popular vote. According to the country's Constitution, the term of office of the President of Chile is limited to four years; the same person cannot become president again. In 2006, a woman became President of Chile for the first time, Michelle Bachelet, the daughter of a Chilean army general who died during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. From 1994 to 2000, Michelle Bachelet was an official consultant to WHO, and at the same time held the position of adviser to the Minister of Health. In 2000, she was appointed to the post of Minister of Health. And in 2002, President Ricardo Lagos appointed Michelle Bachelet as Minister of Defense of Chile. In 2004, the Union of Democratic Parties nominated Michelle Bachelet as a candidate for the presidency. Bachelet built her election program on reform ideas and social slogans. She confidently won the elections and immediately became involved in the daily work of the head of state. Michelle's activities as president were marked by large and successful reforms in the fields of healthcare, education, and pension policy. President Bachelet managed to narrow the gap between the very rich and the especially poor; successful economic policies made it possible to lay the foundations for the formation of a middle class in the country. It is noteworthy that by the end of her reign, Michelle Bachelet was supported by almost 80% of the country's population. In general, Michelle Bachelet's reign has had a positive impact on the development of the Chilean state.

On January 15, 1955, the Chinese leadership adopted a program for the development of atomic weapons

In 1954, at a military training ground in the South Ural District, military exercises were held at which an atomic bomb was used. The purpose of the exercise was to determine the possibility of breaking through the enemy’s defensive fortifications in the face of the use of nuclear weapons. The training maneuvers were prepared and conducted under the leadership of G.K. Zhukova. About 45,000 soldiers and officers, 600 tanks and self-propelled guns, more than five hundred guns and mortars took part in the exercises using nuclear weapons. Air force units and military medical services also took part in the exercises. Representatives of the military ministries and departments of the countries allied to the USSR observed the progress of the exercises. The Minister of Defense of the People's Republic of China, Peng Dehuai, and the Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China, Zhu De, were amazed at the scale of the exercise. But the explosion of the atomic bomb made a special impression on the Chinese guests. The Chinese leadership set out to get new weapons at any cost. However, the leadership of the USSR did not want to give such powerful weapons to the not entirely trustworthy Chinese leadership. The only way the USSR helped the PRC was to send military and scientific consultants to China, who were supposed to help Chinese specialists lay the foundation for the development of the nuclear military industry. In connection with the USSR’s refusal to transfer its nuclear military arsenal to China, the PRC leadership, at a special meeting of the CPC Central Committee, decided to develop and create its own nuclear weapons.

On January 15, 1700, Emperor Peter I ordered the boyars and nobles to wear European clothes

Peter's accession was a turning point for Russia. A reformer by nature, he dreamed of transforming Russia following the example of advanced European states. The reign of Peter was marked by the flourishing of Russian science and culture, the creation of a new system of educational and scientific institutions. To create a new high-quality education system, the state sent the most talented compatriots to study abroad. In the era of Peter the Great, the life of the noble class changed significantly. Peter's first innovation was the ban on wearing beards; those who opposed the tsar's decree were required to pay a very high tax for wearing a beard. Tax quotas were established for wearing a beard, for example, merchants had to pay 100 rubles a year, the nobility paid 60 rubles, city residents 30 rubles. When entering and leaving the city, peasants paid one kopeck per beard. Only the clergy were allowed to wear beards without paying for it. Over time, merchants, nobles and townspeople did not want to suffer losses due to wearing a beard and began to gradually abandon this ancient tradition. On January 15, 1700, Tsar Peter ordered the boyars and nobles to change their ancient Russian attire to comfortable, in Peter’s opinion, European costumes. Women were also required to wear European clothes and strictly follow foreign fashions. Thanks to Peter's reforms, women ceased to be hermits in their chambers. The Tsar ordered the organization of entertainment meetings, “assemblies”, which were held almost every evening, in the houses of the noble nobility. Women were required to take part in balls and celebrations. Many of Peter's reforms were not accepted by conservative Russian society, but no one dared to oppose the Tsar, because Peter was merciless in anger and quick to punish.

The economic situation of the Soviet state in the early 60s of the last century was very unsatisfactory. The ill-conceived and ineffective reforms of the Soviet leadership, led by Nikita Khrushchev, were perceived with hostility by the population of the USSR, which ultimately led to massive popular unrest. In January 1961, an anti-government uprising broke out in Krasnodar. The impetus for the riots was an incident at the military commandant's office, where a ten-year-old boy died. The deceased teenager was placed on a stretcher and brought to the building of the regional committee of the CPSU, here the indignant people organized a spontaneous rally, the activists who spoke at the meeting blamed the negligent Soviet government for all the troubles of the people. The rebels demanded that those responsible for the death of a ten-year-old boy be punished and that his family receive lifelong monetary compensation. The emotional intensity of the meeting increased, and soon the protesters broke into the building of the regional committee of the CPSU. The angry crowd began to rob everything that could be carried away, and what could not be carried out was simply smashed to smithereens. The rioters took out typewriters, televisions, carpets and dishes, books, curtains and curtains. Next, the rebels entered the office of the first secretary of the regional party committee and tried to contact Khrushchev personally through government communications, but they failed. As evening fell, the uprising began to subside, and people began to go home; leaflets with anti-Soviet slogans and calls were posted around the city en masse. The next day there were several more cases of local popular protests, but they were not so massive and did not have a large aggressive charge. After the end of the mass unrest, the authorities began to identify and arrest the instigators of the uprising, but several dozen people were arrested and convicted. The leadership of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs carried out mass lustration in the internal affairs bodies of the Krasnodar Territory.

A thermonuclear explosion carried out for industrial and economic purposes near the Semipalatinsk test site. According to the projects of Soviet scientists, craters formed from nuclear explosions could serve as unique reservoirs for storing water. As a result of the atomic explosion, the bottom of the crater melted and the water accumulated in it did not go into the ground layers, and the small area of ​​the water surface prevented intense evaporation. The stored water was planned to be used for irrigation and livestock raising. It was planned to create about forty similar man-made reservoirs on the territory of the Kazakh USSR. Scientists were tasked with carrying out a so-called “clean nuclear explosion,” in which radioactive contamination of the surrounding area would be minimal. The purity of the explosion reached 94%, which was much higher than that of a similar project carried out by the Americans. The explosive device was planted in the Chagan River basin, at a depth of 178 meters. On January 15, an explosion was carried out, which threw several million tons of soil into the atmosphere, the height of the explosive cloud reached 5 kilometers. After the explosion, a crater half a kilometer in diameter and 100 meters deep was formed. The bed of the nearby Chagan River was blocked by rock fragments. The resulting crater was subsequently filled with water and turned into a domestic reservoir.

Born:

Alexander Griboyedov (1795-1829), Russian poet and playwright

As you know, the poet was born in Moscow, into an old noble family. Alexander's parents gave him a wonderful education at home. It is surprising that already at the age of 11 he went to study at Moscow University, and already in 1810 he successfully graduated from the faculties of law and literature. The guy was fluent in foreign languages. Two years later he volunteered for the army, but did not take part in hostilities. Five years later, Griboyedov was admitted to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, and he served in St. Petersburg. During that period, he met the future Decembrists. At the same time, he wrote his first literary comedies. In 1818, Griboedov was given the post of secretary of the Russian mission in Tehran, and four years later he was appointed secretary for the diplomatic department of General A.P. Ermolov, commander of the Russian troops in the Caucasus and was at the same time ambassador in Tehran. Griboyedov moved to Tbilisi, and there he began writing his main work, the comedy “Woe from Wit.” The work was completed in 1824 in St. Petersburg. At that time, censorship prohibited the publication of the text of his play; only small excerpts were published in the press in 1825. In the same year, Alexander returned to the Caucasus, but there he was arrested and taken to St. Petersburg, this was due to the Decembrist uprising. Fortunately, it was not possible to prove that Griboedov was involved in the conspiracy, and he returned back to Georgia. In 1828, Alexander was appointed ambassador to Tehran. While he was getting there, he stayed in Georgia for several months and there he married a princess who was 16 years old. Alexander's family happiness quickly ended. During the defeat of the Russian mission in Tehran, Muslim fanatics killed Griboedov.

Sofia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891), mathematician, poetess

Kovalevskaya was born on the fifteenth day of January in Moscow. There is a legend that says that during the renovation of the house, Sonya’s parents’ estate did not have enough wallpaper for one wall of the children’s room. Then they covered it with leaves from a math textbook. Little Sophia looked at the mysterious icons with interest and tried to understand the written phrases. This was all so ingrained in the girl’s memory that when many years passed, the mathematics teacher was simply amazed at how Sonya could master the most complex formulas so quickly. One evening in Berlin, a young girl knocked on the door of the house of the famous mathematician Weierstrass. She really asked the famous scientist to give her some mathematics lessons. The scientist wanted to get rid of her quickly and asked her several very difficult tasks; it was already dark and the scientist could not even see the girl. A week passed and the girl came again and brought with her solved problems. She captivated the old scientist with her intelligence and charm. Since then, Sofya Kovalevskaya became the old mathematician’s favorite student. Sophia brilliantly graduated from a German university and received a specialist diploma. She had a dream to work in Russia. In 1883, she received an invitation from Sweden; she was offered to give mathematical lectures at Stockholm University, and Sophia happily agreed. Within two months she learned Swedish and began giving lectures. Thanks to her work, this woman became the first Russian woman to receive the title of professor. Her mathematical works were known to the entire educated world.
Kovalevskaya was also known as a writer. When her creative life was at its peak, Sophia left our world and died of pneumonia. Thanks to the efforts of Russian women, a monument was erected in Stockholm in honor of Sofia Kovalevskaya.

Evgeny Vesnik (1923-2009), Soviet actor

Born on January 15, 1923 in Petrograd, in the family of a Bolshevik functionary. At the end of the 30s, Vesnik’s family was repressed, his father was shot, and his mother was deported to Kazakhstan. Little Zhenya was placed in an orphanage. During the Great Patriotic War, Vesnik was the commander of an artillery platoon with the rank of junior lieutenant. For the courage shown in battles, Vesnik was awarded the Order of the Red Star and the medal “For Courage”. After the war, Evgeniy enters the Shchepkin Theater School on his first try. After graduating from college, the young actor is taken under the wing of the Stanislavsky Theater troupe. In 1954, Vesnik moved to the Satire Theater, and in 1963 he finally settled in the Small Academic Theater. He first appeared in films in 1955. During his creative life, the actor starred in seventy films. In the 90s, he acted little and worked mainly under the contract system. He was invited to theaters as a director of plays and musicals. Evgeniy Yakovlevich took an active part in various television shows. He wrote scripts for television and radio, and voiced cartoons. In the last years of his life, Evgeniy Yakovlevich was sick a lot, suffered severe pneumonia, and a few years later, a stroke. He was buried in Moscow at the Vagankovskoye cemetery.

Aristotle Onassis (1906 -1975), Greek billionaire

Onassis was born in Turkey in Izmir into a family of industrialists. During the Greco-Turkish conflict, Onassis's family left for Greece, and Aristotle was sent to Argentina in search of a happy life. Having settled in Buenos Aires, Onassis initially worked as a dispatcher at the seaport. With the help of friends, he began to engage in small tobacco business and two years later he was able to earn his first $100,000. Onassis's commercial talent was noticed by the Argentine and Greek governments, and Onassis was made trade consul. He successfully negotiated a number of trade agreements between Argentina and Greece. He earned his first $1,000,000 in tobacco trading. In 1923, a young millionaire could afford to buy six cargo ships. By the end of the 30s, Onassis built a large cargo tanker, and by the beginning of the war he acquired 2 more larger tankers. Onassis's trading empire grew, and his merchant fleet increased. In the 50s, the businessman bought 17 new, modern tankers. In 1953, Onassis acquired a controlling stake in the Societe des Bains de Mer company. He also owned Greek national airlines. Aristotle Onassis was married three times, his last wife being John F. Kennedy's widow, Jacqueline Kennedy.

Maria Forescu (1875-1943), opera singer, actress

Maria Fullenbaum (pseudonym Forescu) was born in January 1875 in Ukraine. She graduated from a women's gymnasium in Prague. After high school, Maria became interested in theatrical creativity. She took private acting and vocal lessons. In the late 1890s, Maria Forescu decided to start a singing career. She performed successfully in theaters in Vienna and very soon became a popular opera singer. Maria actively tours European cities and also visits St. Petersburg. Since 1911, Maria began acting in silent films. In the early 20s, Maria left her theatrical career and devoted herself entirely to cinema. With the opening of the era of sound cinema, Maria continued to act, although her main roles were: maids, elderly people, society ladies. In 1933, the end of her career came. The Nazi group came to power in Germany. Having identified Jewish traces in the actress’s family roots, the Nazis deprived Maria of both her job and career. Having fallen into disgrace with the Nazi authorities, the actress lived quietly and secludedly in Berlin until her arrest in 1943. Having arrested the actress, she was sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp, where she tragically died. The memory of the legendary actress is immortalized in books, memoirs and films, people love and remember her.

Birthday people:

Kuzma, Dmitry, Mark, Sergey, Peter.