September 16 marks International Ozone Day and the anniversary of the founding of the Order of the Red Banner, while Orthodox Christians honor the Pisidian Icon of the Mother of God. The date is also Mexico's Independence Day and the birthday of American illusionist David Copperfield and Russian entertainer Yevgeny Petrosyan.
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner, established on September 16, 1918, was the first order of Soviet Russia. It was awarded for what was described as particular courage and bravery shown during military action. Beyond individual soldiers, the order was also given to military units, workers' collectives and even entire cities. Until the creation of the Order of Lenin in 1930, the Red Banner was considered the Soviet Union's highest honor. It stopped being awarded after the collapse of the USSR.
The date is also unofficially marked in Russia as the Day of Illegal Drinking, and the Republic of Karelia observes the founding of its trade union movement.
International Ozone Day
September 16 is also the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, marking the 1987 agreement of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer. The protocol set out a list of chemicals to be phased out of production. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared September 16 the day to mark the occasion.
The ozone layer is the part of the stratosphere between 15 and 40 kilometers above the Earth's surface that shields living organisms from ultraviolet radiation. Its depletion carries serious consequences for human health and other life on the planet.
Mexico's Independence Day
The same date marks Mexico's Independence Day, commemorating the uprising against Spanish colonial rule that began in the town of Dolores on September 16, 1810. The revolt was led by the priest Miguel Hidalgo, who was captured by colonial forces and executed a year later. Mexicans adopted a declaration of independence in 1813 and their first constitution in 1814, though independence was not formally proclaimed until September 28, 1821.
The day is marked across the country with parades and public celebrations. In 2023, Russian servicemen took part in the independence day parade in Mexico City.
Elsewhere in the world, September 16 is also observed as Medical Clown Day and as the independence day of Papua New Guinea.
Orthodox Christians Honor the Pisidian Icon
In the Orthodox calendar, September 16 is dedicated to the Pisidian Icon of the Mother of God. According to tradition, the icon became renowned for numerous miracles, the first of them dating to the second half of the sixth century. In the nearby city of Amasya, a married couple who had long struggled to have a healthy child sought help from Patriarch Eutychius. He anointed them with oil said to flow from the icon and told them the child should be named Peter for the boy to live. A son was born and named as instructed, and a second son followed who, with the patriarch's blessing, was named John. Both boys grew up healthy.
Church writings record many further accounts of the icon producing oil and other wonders, and written sources describe it as one of the oldest Byzantine icons. The church that housed it was built in Sozopolis of Pisidia, which gave the icon its name.
The Orthodox Church also marks the memory of St. Theoctistus of Palestine, Blessed John the Hairy, and the martyr Vasilissa of Nicomedia on this day.
Folk Weather Lore for September 16
Traditional sayings tied to the date center on the weather. Spider webs seen on plants are said to signal warm weather ahead, while fine weather on September 16 is thought to predict a long winter. Morning fog is taken as a sign of good weather and easy work in the fields, while rain in the afternoon is said to mean poor weather for the following several days. A poor mushroom and berry harvest in the forest is said to predict a poor harvest the following year.
Notable Birthdays
Russian entertainer Yevgeny Petrosyan turns 81. The Soviet and Russian stage performer, a People's Artist of the Russian Federation, has spent decades appearing on television, including the solo sketch program "Smekhopanorama," which aired from 1994 to 2019. His other projects include the "Krivoye Zerkalo" ("Crooked Mirror") theater, which ran from 2002 to 2013, and shows including "Petrosyan Show" and "Humor! Humor!! Humor!!!"
American illusionist David Copperfield turns 70. He rose to fame in the late 1970s as host of the television program "The Magic of ABC" and later signed on for his own show, "The Magic of David Copperfield," which aired until 2001 and was widely popular in Russia and other former Soviet countries. Copperfield has been listed 11 times in the Guinness Book of Records and is still considered the world's wealthiest magician.
Others born on September 16 include the American musician B.B. King (1925-2015), Soviet and Russian actor Mikhail Kokshenov (1936-2020), Soviet and Russian broadcaster Angelina Vovk, 84, American actor Mickey Rourke, 74, and American singer and actor Nick Jonas, 34.
