What is celebrated on November 5 in Ukraine and around the world
Kyiv • UNN
The UN draws attention to bullying in education and the danger of tsunamis. Believers honor Galaction, Episteme, and the Apostle James.
On November 5, under the auspices of the UN, the world observes World Tsunami Awareness Day and the International Day against Violence and Bullying at School. According to the new-style church calendar, Saint Hieromartyr Galaction and Saint Martyr Episteme are commemorated, while according to the old-style calendar, Saint Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord according to the flesh, is remembered, reports UNN.
International Day against Violence and Bullying at School
An official international UN date proclaimed by UNESCO Member States in 2019. It is observed annually on the first Thursday of November. The event is intended to draw attention to the fact that, according to UNESCO statistics, one in three students worldwide experiences bullying in an educational environment.
The day emphasizes the importance of countering not only physical and psychological pressure within school walls, but also intimidation in the digital space, calling for the creation of a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for every student.
World Tsunami Awareness Day
An official international UN date established by the General Assembly in December 2015 at the initiative of Japan—a country with extensive experience in combating this natural phenomenon.
The event is intended to draw the global community’s attention to the danger of destructive ocean waves, the improvement of early-warning systems, civil protection, and the resilience of coastal communities. The initiative aims to minimize loss of life and economic damage from hydrometeorological disasters through public education and international cooperation.
According to the new calendar, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers commemorate Saints Martyrs Galaction and Episteme. They lived in the Phoenician city of Emesa and came from wealthy families. After embracing Christianity, the couple took a vow of chastity and entered secret monasteries.
During the persecution under Emperor Decius, Galaction was seized by pagans, while Episteme voluntarily appeared at the trial to share her husband’s suffering, after which both suffered martyrdom by beheading in 253.
According to the old calendar, believers commemorate Saint Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord according to the flesh—the son of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage. Saint James was the first bishop of the Church of Jerusalem, head of the Jerusalem Council of the Apostles, and author of one of the catholic epistles of the New Testament.
For his steadfast preaching of Christianity and recognition of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, he was thrown by Jewish elders from the wing of the Jerusalem Temple and stoned to death around the year 62.