Upcoming Russian Holidays

     Hello! My name is Stephanie and I am the Russian Club secretary.  Here's a little about myself in case you haven't been able to meet for Russian Club.  I became passionate for Russia after working with some Ukranian and Russian people while I was in Turkey.  After I came back to the States, I took a course in Russian History and began learning the Russian language.  I fell more in love with the country and plan to go there someday.  Actually, I also have a tattoo on my back left shoulder in cyrillic script.   принцесса  Enough about me, onto the more important stuff - Russia!!!

  In lieu of Homecoming celebrations this past weekend and holidays coming up, we thought it would be fun to post some Russian holidays and how they are celebrated.  After all, who doesn't love celebrating things?
   

     Unity Day is a public holiday celebrated on November 4.  This day celebrates the liberation of Polish and Lithuanian invaders from Moscow from an uprising led by Kuzam Minin and Dimitri Pozharsky in 1612.  It has also expanded to include celebration of the end of the Time of Troubles and Polish-Muscovite War.    

     In 1918, the Bolsheviks changed the holiday to November 7 to celebrate the October Revolution.  The October Revolution was when the Bolsheviks took control over Petrograd.  The Russian Federation made November 7 a regular day in 2005 and reestablished Unity Day on November 4 like it had been from 1612 - 1917.  The feast day for Our Lady of Kazan in the Russian Orthodox Church also falls on November 4.

     Unity Day in Russia is celebrated in different ways.  Some lay flowers on the monuments of Kuzam Minin and Dimitri Pozharsky.  Others go to the concerts or exhibitions.  Most however see it as a day where they get a day off of work.  Russian Orthodox Christians attend a service for the feast day ending with a procession.  Many public figures speak on television about unity of ethnic and religious groups in the Russian Federation. 

     Like many holidays here in the States, Unity Day is celebrated although it may not be a primary holiday.  I hope you enjoyed the mini Russian history lesson! Remember to vote on a movie for our Russian movie night! Have a good upcoming week!