What is celebrated on September 11 in Ukraine and around the world

September 11 is remembered in world history as the day of the large-scale terrorist attacks in the United States in 2001, while Catalonia celebrates its National Day and Ethiopia celebrates the New Year. According to the church calendar based on the new style, Venerable Theodora of Alexandria is commemorated, while according to the old calendar, one of the strictest dates falls on this day — the Beheading of John the Baptist, UNN writes. 

Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance in the United States (Patriot Day / National Day of Service and Remembrance)

An official national day of remembrance established by the U.S. Congress to honor the 2,977 people who died in the largest terrorist attacks in history on September 11, 2001 (9/11). On that day, al-Qaeda militants hijacked four passenger airliners, directing two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, a third into the Pentagon, while the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers resisted. The day of remembrance is marked by a minute of silence at 8:46 a.m., the lowering of national flags to half-staff, the reading of the names of all those killed at the memorial, and nationwide charitable activities.

National Make Your Bed Day

An unofficial international observance aimed at promoting discipline, order, and healthy daily habits. Psychologists and productivity experts emphasize that tidying one’s bed immediately after waking up creates a sense of having completed the first task of the day, which positively affects self-organization, reduces anxiety, and contributes to quality nighttime rest.

International No News Is Good News Day (No News Is Good News Day)

An unofficial observance intended to encourage people to take a break from consuming an aggressive stream of information and have a digital detox. The initiative emphasizes the importance of protecting mental health from information overload and calls on people to devote the day to personal communication, relaxation in nature, and self-development.

National Day of Catalonia (Diada Nacional de Catalunya

The principal public holiday of the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain, established to commemorate the end of the siege of Barcelona on September 11, 1714, by the forces of Philip V of Bourbon during the War of the Spanish Succession. Although the date marked the loss of autonomous institutions and the abolition of the Catalan constitutions, today the Diada is a symbol of the revival of Catalan culture, language, and national identity, celebrated with massive marches, the laying of flowers at the monument to Rafael Casanova, and ceremonial events.

Teacher’s Day in Argentina (Día del Maestro)

A national holiday established in honor of the anniversary of the death in 1888 of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento — the seventh president of Argentina, an outstanding educator, writer, and “father of the Argentine school.” Thanks to his reforms, a system of free compulsory primary education was created in the country, and hundreds of schools and scientific libraries were established. The day is an official day off for education-sector employees throughout the country.

Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash)

A national holiday in Ethiopia and Eritrea that means “gift of jewels” and symbolizes the end of the rainy season, the arrival of spring according to the Ethiopian calendar, and the Queen of Sheba’s return from Jerusalem. The day is celebrated with family, homes are decorated with yellow daisy flowers (adei abeba), greetings are exchanged, and traditional festive dishes are prepared.

The Commemoration Day of Venerable Theodora of Alexandria

According to the new calendar, Orthodox and Greek Catholic believers commemorate Venerable Theodora of Alexandria — a fifth-century Christian ascetic who, through profound repentance, secretly left her husband for a men’s monastery under the name Theodore, where she followed strict monastic obedience and endured hard labor; only after her death did the brethren learn the truth about her female identity. On this day, Venerable Euphrosynus the Cook is also remembered. He served in a monastery kitchen in the ninth century and, for his humility and life of prayer, was granted a vision of Paradise.

According to the old (Julian) calendar. The faithful commemorate the Beheading of Saint John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. This is an important day in the church calendar, established in memory of the martyrdom of John the Baptist, who was beheaded on the orders of King Herod Antipas through the treachery of Herodias and Salome’s dance. The day is observed with a strict fast (meat, dairy products and fish are not consumed), as well as folk prohibitions against using sharp objects (knives and axes), cutting round objects (bread and cabbage), and holding loud celebrations.