What holiday is celebrated on February 2: everything about this day

Alina Milsent News02.02.2025 16:42

On February 2, Orthodox believers celebrate the Presentation of the Lord. In the church tradition, it symbolizes the unity of the Old and New Testaments, and according to folk beliefs, it marks the approach of spring. The weather on the Feast of the Presentation is usually changeable, so it is often said that at this time "winter and spring meet". Vasyl, Havrylo and Semen celebrate their name days today.

The world celebrates World Ukulele Day, Two-Factor Authentication Day, World Wetlands Day, Groundhog Day, Self-Renewal Day, and Ayn Rand Day. OBOZ.UA tells about the holidays and significant events of this day.

What holidays are celebrated on February 2

The Presentation of the Lord is one of the biggest holidays of the Christian calendar. The Presentation of the Lord is associated with the biblical story of how, on the 40th day after the birth of Jesus, according to Jewish law, Mary and Joseph came to the temple to perform the rite of purification and present the child to the Lord. At that moment, the righteous Simeon, who was waiting for the arrival of the Messiah, took Jesus in his arms and said: "Now you are sending your servant away, Lord, according to your word, in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation." He recognized the little Jesus as the Savior of the world, and this was an important sign that the promise of the coming Messiah had been fulfilled. The prophetess Anna was also in the temple, and when she saw Jesus, she blessed him and announced the coming of the Savior to the whole nation.

Groundhog Day is a cheerful winter holiday celebrated annually on February 2. According to the legend, if a groundhog comes out of its burrow and sees its shadow, winter will last for another six weeks. If there is no shadow, spring will come soon. The most famous place to celebrate Groundhog Day is the town of Punxsutawney in Pennsylvania (USA). It is the home of the famous groundhog Phil, who predicts the weather every year. Thousands of people gather to watch this event and find out if spring is coming soon.

World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on February 2 in honor of the signing of the Ramsar Convention. This holiday is dedicated to raising awareness of the important role of swamps, peatlands, lakes, rivers and other wetland ecosystems for our planet.

February 2 is also World Ukulele Day, an idea that came from Mike Lynch, an ardent supporter of the instrument. The purpose of the holiday is to draw attention to the ukulele, popularize it, and unite the community of musicians.

Self-Renewal Day is an informal holiday celebrated on February 2. It's a great opportunity to devote time to yourself, your thoughts and desires, and to take a step towards personal growth.

February 2 is also the day of remembrance for Ayn Rand, a writer whose name is forever etched in the history of philosophy and literature. Ayn Rand was the founder of the philosophical system known as Objectivism. Her ideas about individualism, rationalism, and the value of human life are still a subject of lively debate. Among the most famous works of the writer are Atlas Shrugged, The Source, and The Anthem.

February 2 is celebrated around the world:

Constitution Day in the Philippines;
Hedgehog Day (a holiday very similar to the modern Groundhog Day. On this day, the Romans observed the behavior of hedgehogs, which were specially woken up during hibernation);

British Yorkshire Pudding Day;
Inventor's Day in Thailand;
Candle Day in Estonia;
Thin Pancake Day;
Scout Sunday in the United States.

Notable historical events on February 2

1536 - Spanish conquistador Pedro Mendoza founded the city of Buenos Aires, the current capital of Argentina, on the west bank of the La Plata River, south of the Parana River.
1556 - the largest earthquake ever recorded in Central China (Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan provinces) occurs, killing about 820,000 people.
1653 - the village of New Amsterdam was granted city status. Today it is known as New York City.
1841 - the first mention of Groundhog Day.
1848 - the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed, ending the American-Mexican War, and Mexico cedes 1.36 million square kilometers of territory to the United States in exchange for $15 million.

1852 - The first public toilet opens in London on Fleet Street.
1863 - Samuel Clemens first signed as Mark Twain.
1870 - Reuters, having signed agreements with two other agencies, created a worldwide information network for the first time in history.
1913 - Grand Central Terminal, the largest railway station in the world, is opened in New York.
1922 - James Joyce's novel Ulysses is published in Paris on the author's 40th birthday in 1000 copies.
1935 - lie detector is used for the first time in court practice (Portage, Wisconsin).
1940 - American pop singer Frank Sinatra makes his debut.
1943 - the Battle of Stalingrad ended.
1959 - the death of Dyatlov's tourist group in the Northern Urals, which gave rise to numerous versions.
1970 - The first ever nerve transplantation operation was performed in Munich.
2008 - Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni were married at the Elysee Palace in Paris. For the first time, the head of the French Republic got married while serving as president.

Who was born on February 2

1616 - Sebastian Bourdon, French painter and graphic artist.
1802 - Joseph Bohdan Zaleski, Polish poet of Ukrainian-Moldovan descent, originally from Kyiv region. Founder of the "Ukrainian school" in Polish literature.
1812 - Yevhen Hrebinka, Ukrainian poet (Little Russian Proverbs, The Boat, Ukrainian Melody, Black Eyes) and prose writer (Notes of a Student, The St. Petersburg Side, The Factor).
1829 - Alfred Brehm, German zoologist, author of the multi-volume Life of Animals.
1845 - Ivan Pului, Ukrainian physicist and electrical engineer, organizer of science, public figure.
1882 - James Joyce, Irish writer, creator of the stream of consciousness.

1901 - Valerian Pidmohylnyi, Ukrainian writer and translator (died in Stalin's camps).
1905 - Ayn Rand, American writer and philosopher.
1926 - Valérie Giscard d'Estaing, President of France in 1974-1981.
1939 - Vitaliy Filipenko, People's Artist of Ukraine, composer.
1955 - Leszek Engelking, Polish poet, prose writer, translator, critic and literary scholar.

Died on this day:

1907 - Dmitri Mendeleev, chemist, author of the periodic table of chemical elements.
1936 - Yevhen Pluzhnyk, Ukrainian poet, playwright, and translator.
1950 - Mykhailo Moskaliuk, UPA centurion, one of the last leaders of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
1970 - Bertrand Russell, British philosopher. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for 1950.
1980 - William Stein, American biochemist, Nobel Prize winner.
1987 - Alistair Maclean, Scottish writer, author of adventure novels.