Memento Mori Day (Remember You Die Day)

The statements of emperors and generals, writers, poets and philosophers of Ancient Rome are included in the world treasury of popular expressions and wise thoughts Dum spiro, spero (“While I breathe, I hope”), Sic transit gloria mundi (“This is how worldly glory passes”), Fortes fortuna adiuvat (“Fate helps the brave”) and other aphorisms are among the most quoted in oral and written speech The popular expressions of the Latins have not lost their relevance today Modern people, like thousands of years ago, are concerned about issues of morality, the justice of the world order and the finitude of all things Memento mori ("Remember Death") was used to greet Roman soldiers returning from battle During the procession through the streets of the city, behind the commander, who returned in triumph, walked a slave, who periodically reminded the commander that nothing lasts forever Memento mortis tua et non peccabis (“Remember your death and do not sin”) - in this form the expression is found in the 4th century texts belonging to Jerome of Stridon, the creator of the canonical texts of the Bible As Christianity developed, the mention of the finitude of existence acquired a different meaning and led to the formation of the cult of the dead body From the end of the 18th century Memento mori began to be used as a greeting by Catholic monks of the Trappist order, who were distinguished by extreme asceticism and hard work In Christianity, a respectful attitude towards death, which became iconic after the feat of Jesus Christ, is reflected in the veneration of the relics of the righteous and taking communion (eating bread and wine, symbolizing the flesh and blood of the Savior) The main religious symbol - Jesus crucified on the cross - is also a demonstration of the cult of the dead Catholics and Orthodox Christians venerate both the mummified remains of saints and their incorruptible bodies The thoughts that come to mind after realizing the deep philosophical meaning of the phrase “Memento mori” awaken compassion and sensitivity in people, force them to show empathy and become responsive to the troubles of others Understanding the finitude of all things that exist on Earth contributes to caring for nature and the entire planet as a whole Awareness of inevitable mortality helps a person begin to appreciate every day of his life, to be thoughtful and critical of his actions and words Not each of us is ready to accept the fact that sooner or later he will go to another world Holidays that make fun of death - for example, Halloween or the Mexican Dia de Muertos - help reduce the intensity of the understanding of the inevitability of the ending These include Remember You Die Day, celebrated on January 3 under the motto “Memento mori!”