Date in the old style: June 11. On this day, the Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Barnabas—the founder of the Cypriot Church and one of the apostles of the seventy (this group of “seventy” traditionally includes the disciples of Jesus Christ and their followers). At birth, he was named Joseph, but the nickname Barnabas (which translates as “son of consolation”) was given to him by the other apostles for his generous donations to the Christian church. Barnabas was from Cyprus. In his youth, his parents sent him to Jerusalem to be educated by the famous Jewish scholar Gamaliel. Together with him, Saul—future Apostle Paul—studied. Barnabas shared missionary work with Paul, but later their paths diverged. The last mention of him in the Gospel is related to his departure to Cyprus. Several centuries later, false accounts of his travels appeared. One of them states that he preached Christianity on his native island and was stoned by the Jews. Another, created in the Middle Ages, tells of the saint from a Muslim perspective. The relics of Saint Barnabas were found only in the year 488. In Russia, it was said: “Do not pluck the grass on Barnabas’ Day.” It was believed that on this day an unknown force rolled over the grass and meadows. Interestingly, in this case, the revelry of evil spirits occurred at noon and not at night as usual. It was said that on Barnabas’ Day, demons divided their tasks: some tied up harnesses and ropes in the hallways, some brought unknown diseases to children, some frightened people, and some filled the herbs with poison. Name days on this day: Barnabas, Bartholomew, Ephraim, Maria.