In day January 31st, we celebrate the World Magician Day. The choice of this date is associated with the figure of Saint John Bosco, born on August 16, 1815, in Becchi, Italy, and died on January 31, 1888, in Turin. Saint John Bosco is considered one of the great mystical saints of Catholicism and became notorious for the precognitive dreams and visions he had. the Italian saint is considered patron of magicians because, as a teenager, he used illusionism and other forms of entertainment to help his family with their income.
We are currently used to seeing magic shows on television, in freshman shows, or even in exclusive shows or paintings for renowned magicians, such as DavidCopperfield or Mr. M. (ValValentino). We also see magic tricks being performed in the busy streets of large urban centers and in the schedules of circuses, which roam from city to city. However, few people know that there is a specific day to honor magicians, and that this day refers to the death date of an Italian saint.
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Well then, São João Bosco saw in the field of magic the opportunity to not only get a source of income, but also a way to bring joy to other young people like him. For this reason, this saint is also considered the patron saint of youth. One of his greatest abilities as a magician was to make various object types disappear and reappear, which caused great furor among his spectators.
It is known that the practice of illusionism and phantasmagoria gained popular taste in the 19th century. Many people enjoyed the spectacles of magic tricks and illusionism, such as those produced by the optical device called “flashlightmagic”, perfected by PaulPhilidor and Étienne-Gaspard Robertson. The choice of the date of Saint John Bosco's death (January 31) to be World Magician's Day was an initiative of Spanish magicians. He was canonized on April 1, 1934 by the to Pius XI.
By Me. Cláudio Fernandes
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FERNANDES, Claudio. "31st January – World Magician Day"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/datas-comemorativas/dia-do-magico.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
