Holidays

Russia's new constitution passed December 12, 1993, with 58.4% approval — but only after Yeltsin's tanks shelled his …

Russia's new constitution passed December 12, 1993, with 58.4% approval — but only after Yeltsin's tanks shelled his own parliament building two months earlier, killing 187 people who opposed his reforms. The referendum happened while Moscow still smelled of smoke. Russians got the day off work every year until 2005, when Putin quietly cancelled the holiday, folding it into a generic "Day of the Lawyer." Twelve years of celebration, then gone. The constitution itself? Still in effect, though amended so many times that constitutional scholars joke it's more like a living Google Doc than a founding document.

Turkmenistan declared permanent neutrality in 1995, but that wasn't enough.

Turkmenistan declared permanent neutrality in 1995, but that wasn't enough. In 2017, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow built a $5 million monument to it: a 95-meter tower topped with a golden dove, spinning so visitors could watch neutrality revolve. The UN recognized the status unanimously — 185 nations said yes in December 1995 — but the holiday itself became stranger each year. Gold-leafed horses parade through Ashgabat. Officials release white doves that sometimes don't fly. And the country that claims to take no sides maintains a state-controlled press, mandatory military service, and exactly one legal political party. Neutrality, it turns out, means whatever the president says it means.

The Eastern Orthodox Church marks December 12 as the feast of Saint Spyridon, a 4th-century shepherd-turned-bishop wh…

The Eastern Orthodox Church marks December 12 as the feast of Saint Spyridon, a 4th-century shepherd-turned-bishop who supposedly debated philosophy at the Council of Nicaea using a brick. He picked it up, squeezed it, and water dripped down while fire shot up and clay remained in his palm — three elements, one brick, just like the Trinity. Whether it happened or not, the story stuck. Today he's the patron saint of Corfu, where his uncorrupted body rests in a silver casket and his slippers wear out yearly from his alleged nighttime walks helping islanders in trouble.

A Saxon princess who chose abbess over crown.

A Saxon princess who chose abbess over crown. Edburga turned down marriage proposals from nobles to run Minster-in-Thanet, a double monastery she inherited from her mother around 716. She wrote letters that still survive — rare for any woman of her time. When Viking raids came decades after her death, monks moved her relics four times to keep them safe. She's now patron saint of plague victims, though no one knows why. The girl who rejected power became powerful anyway.

Kenyans celebrate Jamhuri Day to commemorate the 1963 transition from a British colony to a sovereign republic.

Kenyans celebrate Jamhuri Day to commemorate the 1963 transition from a British colony to a sovereign republic. This shift ended decades of colonial administration and established the nation’s first independent government under Jomo Kenyatta, granting citizens full control over their legislative and executive affairs for the first time.

Bahá'ís worldwide observe the Feast of Masá'il, the first day of the fifteenth month in their nineteen-month calendar.

Bahá'ís worldwide observe the Feast of Masá'il, the first day of the fifteenth month in their nineteen-month calendar. This gathering functions as the community’s primary administrative and spiritual hub, where members consult on local affairs and strengthen social bonds through prayer and fellowship. It reinforces the faith's emphasis on collective decision-making and unity.

A Benedictine monk who couldn't stay still.

A Benedictine monk who couldn't stay still. Vicelinus spent thirty years converting Baltic Slavs in what's now northern Germany, founding monasteries at Neumünster and Segeberg, negotiating with chiefs who'd killed missionaries before him. He learned Slavic languages, ate their food, slept in their halls. Became Bishop of Oldenburg in 1149 but kept traveling until paralysis stopped him at seventy. Died 1154. The man who baptized thousands ended his life unable to move his own hands. Today's feast remembers the apostle of Holstein—a German saint nobody outside Germany knows, who changed an entire region's religion one village at a time.

The tilma shouldn't have survived the night.

The tilma shouldn't have survived the night. Juan Diego's cactus-fiber cloak — the kind that rots in 20 years — carried roses in December 1531, then revealed an image when he opened it before the bishop. The fabric still exists. Scientists in the 1970s found no brushstrokes, no sketch underneath, pigments with no known source. The image shows a pregnant mestiza, appearing to an Indigenous convert just 10 years after Cortés destroyed Tenochtitlan. Within seven years, eight million Aztecs converted. Mexico's most visited religious site now stands exactly where the Aztec mother goddess Tonantzin was worshipped.

Millions of pilgrims converge on the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City to honor the patroness of the A…

Millions of pilgrims converge on the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City to honor the patroness of the Americas. This feast commemorates the 1531 apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego, an event that accelerated the mass conversion of indigenous populations to Catholicism and solidified a unique Mexican religious identity.

Pie Bartosik († 1941), bienheueureux prêtre franciscain polonais et martyr.

Pie Bartosik († 1941), bienheueureux prêtre franciscain polonais et martyr.

Vicelin d'Oldenbourg († 1154), évêque.

Vicelin d'Oldenbourg († 1154), évêque.

Jean de Zichna († 1333), évêque.

Jean de Zichna († 1333), évêque.

Théraponte de Monza († 1591), moine.

Théraponte de Monza († 1591), moine.

Corentin, sa forme féminine Corentine, ainsi que leurs nombreuses variantes :

Corentin, sa forme féminine Corentine, ainsi que leurs nombreuses variantes :

les masculines Corentino, Corentinus, Corenthin et bretons Carantec / Caradec, Kaou, Kaour, Kaourantin, Kaourant, Kao…

les masculines Corentino, Corentinus, Corenthin et bretons Carantec / Caradec, Kaou, Kaour, Kaourantin, Kaourant, Kaourintin, Kawrantin (plutôt fêtés les 13 avril ?) ;

les féminines Cora, Coralia, Coralie, Coralise, Corentina, Corina, Corine, Corinna, Corinne, Coryn(n)(a/e) et breton…

les féminines Cora, Coralia, Coralie, Coralise, Corentina, Corina, Corine, Corinna, Corinne, Coryn(n)(a/e) et bretonnes Kaoura, Kaourantina, Kaourintina, Kawrantina ;

les porteuses et porteurs de leurs diminutifs : Co (surnom familier francophone "Saint-Co" de la cathédrale de Quimpe…

les porteuses et porteurs de leurs diminutifs : Co (surnom familier francophone "Saint-Co" de la cathédrale de Quimper), Coco, Rintintin, Tin, Tina, Tinaig, Tinaïg, Tino, Tintin (cf. aussi Valentin les 14 février, 2 mois et 2 jours plus tard).

Conrad, Konrad ;

Conrad, Konrad ;

voire Curi, Courtois, Curt, Curtis, Kurt,

voire Curi, Courtois, Curt, Curtis, Kurt,

Guadalupita, Lupita, "diminutifs" affectueux de Guadalupe,

Guadalupita, Lupita, "diminutifs" affectueux de Guadalupe,

Israël,

Israël,

Spyridon, Spiridon voire des variantes.

Spyridon, Spiridon voire des variantes.

Namenstage Chantal, Johanna, Finn, Finnian

Namenstage Chantal, Johanna, Finn, Finnian

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Casa de Pan de Jengibre.

Estados Unidos Estados Unidos: Día de la Casa de Pan de Jengibre. Casa decorativa creada de pan, tradición de la temporada navideña.(en inglés: Gingerbread House Day).

Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Trabajador Petrolero Ecuatoriano.

Ecuador Ecuador: Día del Trabajador Petrolero Ecuatoriano. En homenaje a la constitución de la Federación de Trabajadores Petroleros del Ecuador en 1981 y la incorporación de campos petroleros clave a la producción nacional.

Ecuador Ecuador: Día de la Gastronomía.

Ecuador Ecuador: Día de la Gastronomía. Declarado en 2018 por la Asamblea Nacional del Ecuador, con el objetivo de reconocer y promover la riqueza culinaria del país.

Croacia Croacia: Día de la Fuerza Aérea Croata.

Croacia Croacia: Día de la Fuerza Aérea Croata.

Argentina Argentina: Día de la Maquinaria Agrícola.

Argentina Argentina: Día de la Maquinaria Agrícola.

Argentina Argentina: Club Atlético Boca Juniors: Día del Xeneize.

Argentina Argentina: Club Atlético Boca Juniors: Día del Xeneize.

Día Mundial de la Disfagia.

Día Mundial de la Disfagia. El objetivo esencial de esta fecha es dar a conocer un trastorno que afecta a un porcentaje importante de la población, y que consiste en la dificultad para tragar la comida y las sustancias líquidas de manera natural y que por lo tanto, necesita de la atención inmediata de un especialista.

Día Internacional de la Neutralidad.

Día Internacional de la Neutralidad.

Día Internacional de la Cobertura Sanitaria Universal.

Día Internacional de la Cobertura Sanitaria Universal.

Alfred le Grand († 899), Roi anglo-saxon.

Alfred le Grand († 899), Roi anglo-saxon.

Abre (IVe siècle), fille d'Hilaire de Poitiers.

Abre (IVe siècle), fille d'Hilaire de Poitiers.

Suisse : l'Escalade, fête genevoise du fait d'un événement survenu dans la nuit du 11 au 12 décembre 1602.

Suisse : l'Escalade, fête genevoise du fait d'un événement survenu dans la nuit du 11 au 12 décembre 1602.

Nations unies : Journée internationale de la neutralité (es) visant à promouvoir la neutralité au service de la paix …

Nations unies : Journée internationale de la neutralité (es) visant à promouvoir la neutralité au service de la paix et de la sécurité, adoptée par l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies en 2017.

Nations unies : journée de la couverture sanitaire universelle (es) adoptée par l'Assemblée générale des Nations unie…

Nations unies : journée de la couverture sanitaire universelle (es) adoptée par l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies en 2017.

Christian feast day: Corentin of Quimper

Christian feast day: Corentin of Quimper

San Simón Phan Dác Hòa, mártir (1840).

San Simón Phan Dác Hòa, mártir (1840).

México México: Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

México México: Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Beato Pío Bartosik, presbítero y mártir (1941).

Beato Pío Bartosik, presbítero y mártir (1941).

Beato Jacobo Capocci, obispo (1308).

Beato Jacobo Capocci, obispo (1308).

Beato Conrado de Ofida, presbítero (1306).

Beato Conrado de Ofida, presbítero (1306).

Beato Bertolo Buonpedoni, presbítero (1300).

Beato Bertolo Buonpedoni, presbítero (1300).

San Vicelino de Oldenburgo, obispo (1154).

San Vicelino de Oldenburgo, obispo (1154).

San Israel de Le Dorat, presbítero y canónigo (1014).

San Israel de Le Dorat, presbítero y canónigo (1014).

San Espiridión de Chipre, obispo (c.

San Espiridión de Chipre, obispo (c. 348).

Santos Epimaquio, Alejandro, Amonarion, Mercuria y Dionisia de Alejandría, mártires (250).

Santos Epimaquio, Alejandro, Amonarion, Mercuria y Dionisia de Alejandría, mártires (250).

Calendario bahaí: Fiesta de Masá’il.(grafía árabe: مسائل) (Significado: Preguntas).

Calendario bahaí: Fiesta de Masá’il.(grafía árabe: مسائل) (Significado: Preguntas). Fecha gregoriana: 12 de diciembre — 30 de diciembre.

Ucrania Ucrania: Día de las Fuerzas Terrestres.

Ucrania Ucrania: Día de las Fuerzas Terrestres.

Turkmenistán Turkmenistán: Día de la Neutralidad.

Turkmenistán Turkmenistán: Día de la Neutralidad.

Rusia Rusia: Día de la Constitución.

Rusia Rusia: Día de la Constitución.

Panamá Panamá: Día del Sociólogo en Panamá.

Panamá Panamá: Día del Sociólogo en Panamá. En esta fecha se recuerda al profesor Alonso Ramos, quien contribuyó al pensamiento crítico de las nuevas generaciones en las cátedras de Metodología de la Investigación.

Aniversário do município de Ibirá - São Paulo.

Aniversário do município de Ibirá - São Paulo.

Aniversário do município de Teotônio Vilela - Alagoas.

Aniversário do município de Teotônio Vilela - Alagoas.

Aniversário dos municípios de Cabedelo, Mogeiro e Santa Helena - Paraíba.

Aniversário dos municípios de Cabedelo, Mogeiro e Santa Helena - Paraíba.

Aniversário do município de Picos - Piauí.

Aniversário do município de Picos - Piauí.

Aniversário do município de Altônia - Paraná.

Aniversário do município de Altônia - Paraná.

Aniversário dos municípios de Ibicuí e Itapetinga - Bahia.

Aniversário dos municípios de Ibicuí e Itapetinga - Bahia.

Aniversário do município de Ipaumirim - Ceará.

Aniversário do município de Ipaumirim - Ceará.

Dia Internacional da Criança na Mídia

Dia Internacional da Criança na Mídia

Dia Internacional do Heavy Metal

Dia Internacional do Heavy Metal

Dia Internacional da Cobertura Universal da Saúde

Dia Internacional da Cobertura Universal da Saúde

Abra de Poitiers

Abra de Poitiers

Columba de Terryglass

Columba de Terryglass

México México: Día del Empleado Bancario.

México México: Día del Empleado Bancario.

KeniaKenia Kenia: Jamhuri Day.

KeniaKenia Kenia: Jamhuri Day.

JapónJapón Japón: Día Kanji.

JapónJapón Japón: Día Kanji.

Epimaque et Alexandre († 250), Martyrs d'Alexandrie.

Epimaque et Alexandre († 250), Martyrs d'Alexandrie.

Gausbert de Cahors († 950), évêque.

Gausbert de Cahors († 950), évêque.

Grégoire de Terracine († 570), moine.

Grégoire de Terracine († 570), moine.

Israël du Dorat († 1014), chanoine.

Israël du Dorat († 1014), chanoine.

Synésius (IIIe siècle), Martyr.

Synésius (IIIe siècle), Martyr.

Valery de Leuconay († 622), abbé français en baie de Somme.

Valery de Leuconay († 622), abbé français en baie de Somme.

Bartolo Buonpedoni († 1310), bienheureux prêtre italien.

Bartolo Buonpedoni († 1310), bienheureux prêtre italien.

Callixte II († 1124), Pape (162e).

Callixte II († 1124), Pape (162e).

Conrad d'Offida († 1306) bienheureux franciscain italien.

Conrad d'Offida († 1306) bienheureux franciscain italien.

Jacques de Viterbe († 1308), bienheureux évêque de Naples.

Jacques de Viterbe († 1308), bienheureux évêque de Naples.

Simon Hoa († 1840), martyr.

Simon Hoa († 1840), martyr.