What holiday is celebrated on December 12: calendar of events

On December 12, Orthodox believers honor the memory of St. Spyridon, Bishop of Trimython, miracle worker, and Holy Martyr Alexander, Bishop of Jerusalem. Oleksandr, Valerian, Denys, and Serhiy celebrate their name days.

The world celebrates the International Day of Neutrality, the World Day of Universal Health Care and the Day of the Gingerbread House, and in Ukraine - the Day of the Land Forces. OBOZ.UA tells about the holidays and significant events of this day.

What holidays are celebrated on December 12

December 12, according to the New Julian calendar, is the day of remembrance of the Holy Martyr Alexander of Jerusalem. Very little is known about the life of the saint. He lived around the second century, was a pastor and disciple of Clement of Alexandria. In Jerusalem, Alexander had a vision that he should serve the Lord. It was then that he realized that he was destined to become an assistant to Patriarch Narkis and eventually lead the church. When Decius became emperor, mass persecution of Christians began. Alexander was thrown into prison, where he died.

St. Spyridon, Bishop of Trimython, lived on the island of Cyprus in the village of Askia at the end of the third century. Spyridon was a simple shepherd, a man of little education, but he had a divine gift of selfless love for his neighbor. The saint became known for the gift of healing.

On December 12, Ukraine celebrates the Day of the Land Forces. The Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were formed as part of the Armed Forces on the basis of a presidential decree in accordance with Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Armed Forces of Ukraine" in 1996. In terms of their purpose and scope of tasks, they play a crucial role in the performance of their functions, both in peacetime and wartime. They make up almost half of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine include mechanized and tank troops, missile and artillery troops, army aviation, airborne troops, and air defense troops.

December 12 is the International Day of Neutrality. The holiday was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2017. On this day, educational events are to be held to raise public awareness of neutrality.

Other countries around the world also celebrate December 12 :

• Independence Day in Kenya;
• Air Force Day in Croatia;
• Pennsylvania State Day in the United States;

Notable historical events on December 12

• 1674 - the first short outline of the history of Ukraine, Synopsis, is published in the Kyiv Cave Printing House.
• 1764 - Russian Empress Catherine II abolished the Hetmanate in Ukraine.
• 1799 - Napoleon Bonaparte became the first consul of France.
• 1846 - in Marburg, physiologist Karl Ludwig made the first record of the heart using a kymograph.
• 1901 - Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi conducted the first successful transatlantic radio communication session.

• 1937 - the first elections to the Supreme Soviet under the new Constitution were held in the USSR.
• 1955 - British engineer Christopher Cockerell patented the first hovercraft.
• 1979 - The Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee decided to send Soviet troops to Afghanistan.
• 1991 - The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a law abolishing criminal liability for voluntary homosexual relations.
• 2008 - Switzerland joined the Schengen area and became the 25th country to sign the visa-free travel agreement.

Who was born on December 12

• 1731 - Erasmus Darwin, British physician, naturalist, inventor and poet.
• 1758 - Johann Baptist Schad, German philosopher, professor of philosophy at Kharkiv University, invited on the recommendation of Goethe.
• 1821 - Gustave Flaubert, French writer.
• 1863 - Edvard Munch, Norwegian painter and graphic artist.

• 1890 - Andriy Melnyk, Ukrainian state military and political figure, colonel of the UPR Army, co-founder of the Sich Riflemen, the Riflemen's Council, and the Ukrainian Military Organization.
• 1915 - Frank Sinatra, American actor and singer.
• 1927 - Yevhen Sverstiuk, Ukrainian philosopher, writer, literary critic, prisoner of Soviet concentration camps.
• 1928 - Leonid Bykov, Ukrainian actor, director and screenwriter.
• 1975 - Mayim Bialik, American actress.

Died on this day:

• 1586 - Stefan Batory, Polish king from 1576.
• 1635 - Ivan Sulyma, Cossack leader, hetman, organizer of campaigns against the Turks and Tatars.
• 1889 - Viktor Buniakovsky, Ukrainian mathematician.
• 1902 - Pavlo Hrabovskyi, Ukrainian lyric poet, publicist, and translator.
• 1997 - Yevhen Landis, prominent Ukrainian and Soviet mathematician, professor, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

• 1999 - Joseph Heller, American satirist, screenwriter, playwright.
• 2002 - Mykola Amosov, Ukrainian scientist, founder of cardiac surgery, biological, medical and psychological cybernetics in Ukraine, founder of the Ukrainian school of cardiac surgeons.
• 2008 - Daniel Carlton Gajduszek, American pediatrician and virologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
• 2020 - John Le Carré, English writer, author of spy thrillers. Formerly a British intelligence officer.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.