What holiday is celebrated on December 26: interesting facts

On December 26, Orthodox believers celebrate the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This day honors the Mother of God who gave birth to Jesus Christ. After the stormy Christmas celebrations, December 26 is a day for calm, reflection and summarizing the past year. Name days are celebrated by Yukhim, Kostiantin and Maria.

The world celebrates the Day of Memories, the Day of Gifts and St. Stephen's Day in the Western tradition. OBOZ.UA tells about the holidays and significant events of this day.

What holidays are celebrated on December 26

On December 26, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated. This name emphasizes the importance of the Virgin Mary in Christianity. She is the patroness of all Christians and a symbol of maternal love. Ukrainians are increasingly combining church and folk traditions. On December 26, many people gather with their families, prepare delicious dishes, give gifts to each other, and simply enjoy socializing.

In the Western tradition, December 26 is St. Stephen's Day. It is a Christian holiday dedicated to the memory of the first martyr for the faith of Christ, St. Stephen. He preached the Gospel and healed the sick.

December 26 is the second day of Christmas in Western Christianity. It is an official public holiday in the Netherlands, Poland, and Norway. In some Western church traditions, this day is part of a festive cycle that lasts from December 25 to January 5. During this period, believers celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, also known as the Twelve Feasts. According to tradition, January 6, the day of the Epiphany, is also considered the "thirteenth feast".

December 26 is also the day when deceased relatives are remembered. Believers visit graves and pray for the repose of their souls.

Countries around the world celebrate December 26:

• Thanksgiving in the Solomon Islands;
• Father's Day in Bulgaria;
• Goodwill Day in South Africa and Namibia;
• Caramel Cane Day in the United States;
• Independence and Unity Day in Slovenia;

• Thanksgiving with a note;
• Whiner's Day;
• Junkanoo in the Bahamas - the first day of the parade in the streets.

Significant historical events on December 26

• 1776 - George Washington's troops defeated the British at Trenton, which was a turning point in the North American colonies' struggle for independence.
• 1825 - The Decembrist uprising took place in St. Petersburg on Senate Square.
• 1870 - the construction of the 13-kilometer-long Frejus Tunnel, the first railroad tunnel under the Alps connecting Italy and France, is completed.
• 1898 - Pierre and Marie Curie discovered the radioactive element radium.
• 1918 - the restoration of the Ukrainian People's Republic is proclaimed and the government of the state, the Council of People's Ministers of the Ukrainian People's Republic, is formed.
• 1931 - the automobile company Dat Jidosha Seizo, renamed Nissan the following year, is founded in Tokyo.

• 1935 - an attempt is made to stop a volcanic eruption in the Hawaiian Islands by aerial bombardment.
• 1963 - Capitol Records releases The Beatles' first U.S. single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand/I Saw Her Standing There."
• 1974 - the USSR announces the issuance of passports to peasants.
• 1991 - The Council of Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR held its last meeting and adopted a declaration stating the fact that the Soviet Union had ceased to exist.
• 2004 - the deadliest earthquake in modern history. It occurred in the Indian Ocean, north of the island of Sumatra.
• 2004 - In Ukraine, the second round of the December 26, 2004, presidential election is re-voted, with Viktor Yushchenko winning.
• 2023 - The Russian military-industrial complex Novocherkassk was destroyed.

Who was born on December 26

• 1791 - Charles Babbage, British mathematician, inventor of the first computer.

• 1891 - Henry Miller, American writer.
• 1898 - Yevhen Pluzhnyk, Ukrainian poet, playwright, translator, one of the most prominent representatives of the Executed Renaissance.
• 1953 - Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia.
• 1959 - Koji Morimoto, Japanese animator, one of the first anime directors in Japan.
• 1962 - James Kottak, American drummer, member of the band Scorpions.
• 1971 - Jared Leto, American actor and musician.
• 1994 - Svyatoslav Horbenko, Ukrainian soldier, volunteer. One of the "cyborgs". Hero of Ukraine.

Died on this day:

• 1771 - Helvetius, French writer and materialist philosopher.
• 1890 - Heinrich Schliemann, German businessman and archaeologist, head of excavations in Troy, Mycenae, and Corinth.
• 1924 - Oleksandr Tarkovskyi, Ukrainian poet, writer, journalist, public figure.
• 1972 - Sonia Green, American writer of Ukrainian descent, wife of Howard Lovecraft.
• 2006 - Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States.

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