Holidays May 2
Maundy Thursday
Many also call it Clean Thursday. It is celebrated the week before Christian Easter. On this day, Orthodox churches conduct festive services dedicated to the great gospel event - the Last Supper, when Christ washed the feet of the disciples and showed the manifestation of true brotherly love, devotion and humility. This rite is recognized by the entire Christian denomination, including the Orthodox, Catholics, Lutherans and other representatives of the Christian faith. Between Pure Thursday and Sunday, all believers recall the earthly wanderings and sufferings of the Messiah.
From this day begins preparations for Easter. Believers go to church, take communion, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs. Today it is customary to get up very early and be sure to redeem in order to wash away all our sins. Also, since Maundy Thursday it is customary to clean houses, yards and plots of garbage accumulated over the winter. First of all, you need to pay attention to the icons in the house, they must be clean. And after Thursday to clean up until Easter is not recommended, so as not to "clog the eyes of Christ lying in the grave with dust". During this period, it is also forbidden to wash.
Memorial Day of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow
Every year on May 2, the memory of the holy old woman Matrona of Moscow is celebrated. Matrena Nikonova (in the world) was born in 1881. From birth, she was blind. At first they wanted to abandon the girl, but on the eve of her mother’s desperate step, she had a dream in which she saw a beautiful luminous bird of unearthly beauty, but without eyes. The parent considered this dream symbolic and decided to leave her daughter. Young Matrena began to treat people from a very young age.
Gradually, more and more people began to come to her. Some to find out the future, others to solve family or financial problems, and still others to gain mental and physical health. Matrena paid special attention to everyone, but at the same time she advised not to renounce traditional medicine. “The body is the house God has given you, and it must be kept clean and tidy,” the Blessed One loved to say to her visitors. It is said that the seer predicted her own demise. She died in 1952, and the place of her burial became a pilgrimage. In 1999, Matryona was canonized by the Orthodox Church.
May 2 in the folk calendar
Old caveman
On May 2, people commemorate another St. John the Old Cave, who lived at the turn of the 8th and 9th centuries. From childhood, he was drawn to the Almighty. Leaving his native places, John went to Palestine, where he spent his life in need, wandering and praying. The decrepit Lavra became the site of his last refuge. She was not far from Jerusalem. Many researchers believe that St. John the Old Cave was engaged in writing liturgical songs and is one of the authors of canons in honor of Chariton.
Unfortunately, the images of John, who survived to our times, are very scarce and blurry. They usually depict him in the form of a gray-haired old man with a long silver beard and in a monastic robe with a scroll in his hands. On this day, the peasants in Russia decided to go out with a canvas into the field, bow down in all directions, saying: "Here you are, Mother Spring, new, keep it!". After these words, the fabric was spread on the ground and put pies on it, and after that they went home. This ritual was carried out in order to ensure that the spring was warm and plentiful in terms of fertility.
Historical events of May 2
May 2, 1519 - Leonardo da Vinci passed away
The greatest artist in history! The object of unceasing disputes in society! The legendary scientist! Until the very end, Leonardo could not part with his brainchild Gioconda. Even after the painting was bought by King Francis, the artist asked to leave the portrait with him until his death. And although he is known to us as an outstanding artist, he did not consider himself as such, since he was engaged in painting only in his free time, directing the main emphasis of his activities towards science. He paid special attention to the problem of flights. Having developed a lot of diagrams and drawings, he made a bold statement for that time that someday people would invent an aircraft that would float in the sky like birds.
May 2, 1902 - In France, the premiere of the first science fiction film entitled "Journey to the Moon"
The producer, screenwriter, director, choreographer, mechanic, actor, artist, as well as the creator of all the special effects of this project was a man named Georges Méliès, who specialized in pyrotechnics and illusions. Méliès showed the world real magic. The freeze frames introduced by him, influxes and double exposure turned into an ingenious grammar of world cinema. The film has become very popular. In addition, he received tremendous commercial success. And Georges Méliès himself, "torn" by the brutal system of the film industry, soon went bankrupt and turned into a regular seller of toy shops.
May 2, 1965 - The first Soviet coin worth 1 ruble was put into circulation
On the day indicated by us, a commemorative one-ruble coin dedicated to the twentieth anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War was put into circulation. And a few years later, these coins in the Soviet Union were issued everywhere and regularly. Interestingly, the Soviet ruble, depreciated over time, in size corresponded to the coins of other states. Thus, one of the Japanese companies distributing small things by means of automatic machines almost went bankrupt, because enterprising Japanese, instead of native yens, adapted to lower Soviet rubles into automatic machines.
May 2 were born
Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 - 1725) - the famous Italian composer, founder and largest representative of the opera school. The renowned composer was also his son Domenico.
Catherine II (1729-1796 gg.) - The Russian Empress. Real name is Sophia. At 16, she was married to Peter Fedorovich. Soon, Catherine felt a huge potential, a brilliant mind and strong-willed character. With her husband’s accession to the throne, Catherine’s life turned into a real nightmare. He subjected the girl to constant humiliation and even tried to send her to the monastery. However, as a result of the conspiracy, Peter was overthrown and soon died under very "dark" circumstances. From this moment began the brilliant reign of Catherine. The main advantage of the empress was the ability to choose statesmen and to use their abilities for her own good. During her lifetime, Catherine was called the Great, only an endless series of favorites slightly overshadowed her strong-willed essence.
Benjamin Spock (1903 - 1998) - an outstanding pediatrician, psychologist, author of a series of books on child care, which have grown more than one generation. In his youth he was a promising athlete, and was also repeatedly arrested for participating in various public demonstrations organized in order to respect the rights of ordinary people.
Name Day May 2
Name days on May 2 are celebrated: Egor, Victor, Anton, George, Matron (Matron), Gleb, Boris, Yuri, Ivan, Semen, Dmitry, Athanasius, Anatoly, Kuzma, Feona.
