In the framework of the Orthodox canons, Tatyana's Day is celebrated in 2024 on January 25th. This is not only a church holiday: it is also called Students' Day, therefore it is recognized at the state level. The traditions of the celebration are closely intertwined with Christian legends, folk beliefs and historical facts that relate to the development of education.
Saint Tatiana
According to legend, the holy martyr Tatiana of Rome lived in the II-III centuries. Raised by pious parents, she decided to devote her life to church service. Tatiana received the rank of deaconess, which allowed her to preach the gospel.She was also responsible for helping the needy and caring for the sick.
When Emperor Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander reigned in Rome, the persecution of believers in Christ began. Tatiana did not escape such a fate. She was forced to sacrifice in the temple of Apollo in front of a pagan idol. However, the girl was not afraid, but began to pray - the earthquake that began damaged the walls of the building, under the rubble of which many priests died.
The subsequent torment did not break the Christian. The tormentors put her to death together with her father, and nine years later the girl was canonized as a saint, who did not renounce her faith even under the threat of death. The Orthodox annually celebrate the memory of the saint on the 25th in January, and the Catholics - on the 12th due to the fact that the Churches adhere to different calendars.
Students Day History
A special day for students appeared in 1755. The initiative came from the first major natural scientist of the people, Mikhail Lomonosov, and State Councilor Ivan Shuvalov. She gained the legislative support of the Empress and Autocrat of All Russia Elizabeth.
She signed the Imperial Decree, which approved the formation of a higher educational institution in Moscow. The draft document was presented to Elizaveta Petrovna on January 25 - on this day Shuvalov's mother celebrated her name day. Initially, the date was perceived only as the birthday of a higher educational institution. Everything changed after the consecration of the university church built in memory of Martyr Tatiana.
Since 1791, both students and teaching staff of the university began to consider the saint as their patroness. And in 1850 they officially announced: January 25 is a special celebration not only for Moscow, but also for all-Russian students. In the post-revolutionary period, the church was closed, a club worked in its premises, a student theater was organized a little later.
The holiday got another name - the Day of the proletarian student, but gradually it was forgotten. In 1995, the temple returned to the bosom of the Church, at the same time the revival of the student holiday began. The year of the official beginning of his new life was 2005.
Celebration traditions
In the 19th century, Moscow students began the holiday with a mandatory visit to the house church, where a special prayer service was held. Various requests were addressed to the saint, whose name is translated as the organizer.
Most often prayed:
- about help in learning - not everyone was able to easily and simply gnaw at the granite of science;
- about strengthening he alth - of your own and loved ones;
- about love - youth is impossible without it, and to create a family I wanted to meet a worthy soul mate in all respects;
- about material well-being, because many combined education with work to feed themselves.
After the service, we moved on to the secular part. After listening to the words of the rector's solemn speech, they sat down at the tables set for tea drinking, and then proceeded to informal communication. Sometimes the festivities turned out to be too stormy.However, the police followed unspoken instructions not to detain young people on the Moscow streets who went to celebrate their holiday, even if some actions were beyond the bounds of decency.
The so-called “cat concerts” were held near the editorial office of the Moscow News, founded by representatives of the university. By doing this, the young people sent a kind of "hello" to editor-in-chief Katkov, a well-known opponent of reforms and a staunch conservative.
In 1855, Moscow University celebrated its 100th anniversary, bringing together under its roof many who graduated from an educational institution at different times. The event gave rise to a modern tradition: in the future, graduates came and came to celebrate Tatyana's Day in their alma mater. And now graduates of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov gather for traditional meetings directly on Student's Day.
There is an opinion that the celebration cannot be celebrated without performing at least once the hymn "Gaudeamus itigur" , which appeared at the turn of the XIII-XIV centuries.According to the main version, the authorship of the work belongs to itinerant students of Heidelberg or Paris universities. The printed lyrics of the song, which praises youth, first appeared in the pages of the Book of Friends of Social Joy.
It is also customary to congratulate all Tatyanas on their birthdays. Surely each of the bearers of such a glorious name will be pleased when she is presented with a bouquet of flowers, a cute gift or a sweet surprise on Tatyana's day. With an abundance of proposals existing in 2024, it will not be difficult to choose a worthy present. And kind words of wishes will melt the heart of any beauty. To do this, it is not necessary to become a literary genius - the main thing is to remain sincere and open.
Tatiana's Day is one of the brightest holidays celebrated in our country. It is inextricably linked with the history of the formation of the state and is equally loved by both Orthodox believers and students. Its date never changes and always falls on January 25th.
