On April 20, 2026, the memory of the venerable George of Mytilene and the martyrs Rufinus and Aculina the Younger, along with 200 soldiers, is honored. Our ancestors called it Aculin Day.
These hours were considered mystical. On this day, according to legends, mermaids became active, and they were very dangerous for people – they tried to drag them into the water or tickle them to death.
What is remembered in the Church on April 20, 2026
Saint George. George went to a monastery in his earliest youth, was very virtuous and pious. When Emperor Leo the Isaurian began the persecution of icons, he suffered many troubles and earned the nickname Confessor for it. Under Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus, he was made an archbishop in the city of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. He was an excellent shepherd and led a very spiritual and chaste life, which, as contemporaries said, was angelic. He was incredibly merciful, helping everyone in need. From the Lord, he received the gift of miracles and the ability to heal.
When the iconoclast Leo the Armenian ascended to the imperial throne, George was expelled and exiled to Chersonesus (Cherson), where he died. At the moment of his death, a star shone over the city of Mytilene, where he was a metropolitan.
Saint Aculina. Under Emperor Maximian in 310 in the city of Sinope on the Black Sea, Aculina was imprisoned because she cared for the captive deacon and miracle worker Rufinus. There, they together converted 200 soldiers who guarded them to faith. After that, Rufinus and Aculina, along with a group of Christians, were killed, having their heads cut off.
The Meaning of the Holiday
On this day, the saints are remembered who, during their lives, showed miracles of kindness and the ability to perform wonders that the Lord granted them.
What Can Be Done on April 20, 2026
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It is customary to place unnecessary but decent clothing next to trash bins.
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It is good to invite guests.
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It is excellent to do good deeds.
What Cannot Be Done on April 20, 2026
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It is not customary to walk near bodies of water.
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It is very bad to pollute the shores of rivers and to waste water from taps unnecessarily.
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It is very bad to dry umbrellas in the place where you sleep – this will lead to a quarrel.
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Do not look out the window at the stars.
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It is forbidden to spend all available money.
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It is forbidden to cut bread in the evening.
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It is not allowed to make noise, sing, or laugh while visiting.
