What holiday is today in the church calendar
The holy martyrs Florus and Laurus were brothers. They lived in the 2nd century in Byzantium, and then moved to Illyria (modern-day Balkans). They worked as stonemasons, under the guidance of Christians Proclus and Maximus. From their teachers, the brothers adopted not only professional skills, but also spiritual life, observing strict fasting and prayers.
One day, the ruler of Illyria, Lycaon, sent the brothers to a neighboring region to work on the construction of a pagan temple. During their work, they met the son of a local priest who had suffered a serious eye injury from a piece of stone. The brothers promised to help, and when the young man came to believe in Christ, his eye was miraculously healed. This amazed his father so much that he also accepted Christianity.
After the construction, Saints Florus and Laurus destroyed the pagan idols in the temple and erected a cross there, dedicating the building to Christ. For this, they were arrested and sentenced to death. The brothers were thrown into an empty well and covered with earth.
Many years later, their incorruptible relics were found and transferred to Constantinople. In Rus’, Florus and Laurus began to be revered as patrons of livestock, especially horses.
The Miracle of Flora and Laurel (image: Wikipedia)
What not to do today, August 18
According to the beliefs and folk traditions of Ukrainians, today it is advisable not to do the following:
- To quarrel or swear
- Gossip and insult others
- Harm animals.
It is also not recommended to wear dark clothes, because today black works as a magnet for misfortune. In addition, it has long been customary to collect wormwood on this day. It was brought home and placed in a secluded place. It was believed that wormwood protects the house from evil and negativity.
Since Florus and Laurus are considered the patrons of horses, our ancestors did not use them for work today. On this day, they were only fed deliciously and cleaned.
Folk omens and traditions of this day
- Good weather – bad weather
- Crimson dawn – there will be wind and rain
- Hot – frequent rains in September
- Fresh air – expect rain
- Clouds are floating low – there will be prolonged rains.
In the old days, Ukrainians believed that the first frosts would begin today. According to popular belief, if rye is not sown by August 18, the harvest next year will be very poor.
Whose angel day is today?
Today the following people celebrate their name day: Denis, Evgeny, George, Gregory, Emelyan, Ivan, Illarion, Makar, Michael, Leo, Ulyana.
According to the horoscope, people born today – Lions.
What other holidays are celebrated in Ukraine today
In addition to the church holiday, today there are several state, professional and other holidays and memorial days. The main ones are:
- World Breast Cancer Research Day
- International Wine Day “Pinot Noir”
- Never Give Up Day
- Helium Discovery Day
- Contraceptive Pill Day.
