Veterinarian Day (Orthodox Veterinarian Day)

The Day of the Veterinary Worker of Russia (formerly the Orthodox Day of the Veterinarian) is a holiday that arose in 2011, has long traditions and honors the kind attitude towards animals as God's creations A joint decision of activists of the Russian Agricultural Academy and the Primate of Orthodoxy, Patriarch Kirill, decided to celebrate the date on the day of remembrance of the saints of the martyrs Florus and Laurus The involvement and assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church, which signed the corresponding decree on March 23, 2011, consists not only of activities aimed at protecting any natural resources, but also of instilling in the entire population the utmost care and concern for them Since 2014, this initiative received official status at the state level, thanks to a decree of the President of Russia Since ancient times, Florus and Laurus, who were canonized and considered martyrs, have been considered the patrons of livestock Many details about their lives are unknown, such as the exact dates of birth and death Their biography and exploits are known only from their lives, which is not a historical document, but rather of a literary nature, designed to demonstrate holy miracles and glorify deeds Florus and Laurus were brothers born at the beginning of the second century in Byzantium Having acquired the profession of stonemasons and an unshakable faith in God, they always helped the poor: they gave them money for the work they performed, in which they achieved the highest skill Having moved from Byzantium to the Roman province of Illyria, they were hired to build a pagan temple By Divine Providence, they were able, by the power of faith, to restore health to the priest’s son, who was accidentally wounded during construction The falling fragment damaged the young man's eye, but after spending the night with him in prayer, the brothers converted him to Christianity, and he received God's help Such an event turned many believers to the true faith, including the priest of the temple under construction After the construction was completed, all those present converted to Orthodoxy, breaking the pagan statues and turning the temple into a church Such arbitrariness, as well as the preaching of an objectionable religion by the brothers, greatly angered the ruler - his order was extremely cruel All those involved were burned alive, and after torture, two saints were thrown into a well and buried alive After this execution, some time later it was discovered that the bodies remained incorrupt - the relics found peace in Constantinople According to legend, after this the loss of livestock stopped - so the martyred brothers became patrons of animals Many regions of Russia had their own legends, passed down from generation to generation, testifying to the veneration of these holy martyrs The importance of the veterinarian profession is difficult to overestimate, because these are not only those people who take care of pets, but also make a huge contribution to the normal functioning of agriculture By protecting the health of animals, doctors guard the well-being of humans This activity is impossible without compassion and participation in living beings, and therefore the ideas of Orthodoxy resonate in veterinary medicine Pets were not just precious to our ancestors - their lives depended on their care For August 31, the Slavic tradition had its own main signs of “Horse Day,” as the modern holiday was called in most regions from time immemorial This is the reverence of animals and liberation from any household duties and work, treating them to delicious food Sincere prayer has always supported owners in difficult times, and today it helps veterinarians and their patients Treating and saving animals is not just a duty, but a calling This is always mentioned with gratitude at official ceremonial events organized at the regional and regional levels in honor of this holiday The presentation of awards and thanks from representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture to leading distinguished specialists and industry veterans is an annual pleasant moment The fact that Russian veterinarians have their own holiday, in addition to the international day, is another reason to emphasize the authority and nobility of the profession