What holiday is celebrated on January 28: all about this day

January 28 is a day rich in various events and holidays, both internationally and nationally. This day marks a number of important dates related to various spheres of life: from history and culture to health and technology.

It is a day that unites people from different parts of the world, reminding them of important historical events, current social issues, and the importance of cultural values.

International events:

World Leprosy Day: this date reminds us of the need to fight this disease, which, although it has been significantly overcome, still occurs in some regions of the world.

International LEGO Day: the celebration is set in honor of the famous designer who inspires children and adults to create and develop.

International Data Protection Day: this day reminds us of the importance of protecting personal information in the digital age.

International No Internet Day: an unusual holiday that encourages people to break away from gadgets and enjoy real life.

In Ukraine, today is the Day of the National Flag.

On January 28, 1992, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Resolution "On Approval of the National Flag of Ukraine as the State Flag of Ukraine". The document officially approved the blue and yellow flag as a symbol of state unity. The flag consists of two equal horizontal stripes - upper blue and lower yellow - that have become an integral part of national identity.

The National Flag of Ukraine is a symbol of struggle and victory; it accompanies all festive events and important moments in the country's history. It owes its appearance to the centuries-old traditions of Ukrainian statehood, which date back to the times of Kyivan Rus. The yellow and blue colors symbolized the Kyivan state, and since the 18th century they have been part of the coats of arms of the cities of Kyiv region.

An important milestone in the formation of the blue and yellow flag was the raising of it on the Lviv City Hall in June 1848. This was the first public use of the national flag, marking the beginning of its popularization in Galicia, Bukovyna, and Transcarpathia. In the following years, the blue and yellow flag was used during important events, such as the demonstrations of Ukrainian soldiers in 1917.

Subsequently, the flag became the official symbol of the Ukrainian People's Republic, and in the period between the two world wars, the blue and yellow colors became a reflection of national dignity even under occupation and prohibition. At the same time, the movement to restore the flag did not stop: in the 1960s and 1970s, despite bans, it was repeatedly raised at ceremonial events.

The official approval of the State Flag of Ukraine on January 28, 1992, was the culmination of a centuries-long process. The flag became a symbol of independent Ukraine, its national dignity and unity. Today it is an important element of national identity, reflecting the history, struggle and future of the country.

Church holiday on January 28

St. Ephraim the Syrian's Day: the church honors the memory of one of the most prominent theologians and poets of the fourth century.

Ephraim, a native of the city of Nisibin in southeastern modern Turkey, devoted his life to repentance after being unjustly accused of theft and imprisoned. He became a disciple of the ascetic James of Nisibin and participated in the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325.

St. Ephraim was the founder of the "School of the Persians" in Edessa, where he taught the Holy Scriptures, church singing, and poetry. Many of his students became prominent church leaders in Syria, Persia, and Armenia. Ephraim also wrote extensively, engaging in literary polemics with heretics and composing numerous hymns that became part of Christian worship.

Despite his ordination as a deacon, which, according to some sources, was granted to him by St. Basil the Great, Ephraim considered himself a "shepherd." He spent the last years of his life in a cloister, where his activities included the founding of a hospital with the help of local aristocrats. Ephraim left behind a will in which he renounced worldly goods and ordered that he be buried among pilgrims in the cemetery as one of them.

St. Ephraim the Syrian believed that reflections on the Second Coming of the Lord and the Last Judgment were important for the purification of the soul. His prayers and writings call for deep introspection and moral purification, as he believed that every Christian should be prepared for God's judgment. One of the most famous prayers attributed to Ephraim became the basis for spiritual practices in Orthodox traditions.

In art, St. Ephraim was often depicted as a gray-haired elder in a monk's robe with a scroll in his hand. His image was popular in Byzantine, Balkan, and Old Russian art. One of the most famous images of the saint is preserved in a fresco in St. Cyril's Church in Kyiv, where he is depicted in a gesture of blessing, holding a scroll with his teachings, which still inspires believers today.

Historical events on January 28

• 1796 - creation of Volyn, Kyiv, Little Russia, Novorossiysk, and Podillya provinces as part of the Russian Federation;
• 1797 - Ukrainian Cossack chieftain Antin Holovaty died at the age of 53;
• 1919 - the Provisional Constitution of the Ukrainian People's Republic was adopted, and the Directorate of Ukraine moved from the capital to Vinnytsia;
• 1929 - The first Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists was held in Vienna, where it was decided to create the OUN;

• 1992 - The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the blue and yellow flag as the national flag;
• 1992 - Kyiv establishes diplomatic relations with Italy;
• 2003 - Putin and Kuchma signed the Treaty on the Russian-Ukrainian State Border;
• 2010 - Yushchenko recognized the UPA soldiers as participants in the struggle for Ukraine's independence.

Namedays on January 28

Toma, Khulian, Yefrem, Isaak, Palladiy, Havryyil, Ivan, Mykhaylo, Pavlo, Prokhor, Yan, Olena, Olena, Ilona.

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