National Day of Unity

[mendeleyev]

Sincere congratulations to all of our readers on 4 November, the Day of National Unity! In Russian it is Днем народного единства!





The holiday was designed to commemorate the popular uprising which drove Polish–Lithuanian occupation forces out of Moscow in November 1612. This event is marked as the end of the Time of Troubles.



The statue that sits in front of St. Basil's Cathedral is of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky, the two citizens who led the revolt against the Polish forces in the Kremlin.

This statue of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky used to sit in the centre of Red Square but as part of Stalin's desire for a military parade ground the statue was moved to its present location. There is an identical monument to the two in Nizhny Novgorod, the city where they lived.

Communicate a little unity to your lady today!

Today is also the feast day of the Russian Orthodox icon of Our Lady of Kazan.

[Ooooops]

Never heard of such holiday.       Is it a paid day off?   

[mendeleyev]

Don't feel bad, Oooops. According to most Russian newspapers you're right there with at least 25% of the Russian public who don't know much about it either. 

RT coverage: http://rt.com/news/nationalists-march-unity-day-189/

In the USA the Huffington Post chose to focus on one rally (there were 3 separate rallies in Moscow) that drew 8,000 marchers of hard right nationalist perspective.

PS...yes it is a paid holiday. Didn't you get your check? 

[Anotherkiwi]

PS...yes it is a paid holiday. Didn't you get your check? 

Maybe the postal system can't find "Singapore" or "Beijing" anywhere within Russia.     It's not like the USA with its 28 (?) Moscows scattered around.

[Ooooops]

PS...yes it is a paid holiday. Didn't you get your check? 

Russians loooooove holidays…   Almost as much as Asians.   

[mendeleyev]

Oooops: Russians loooooove holidays…   Almost as much as Asians

Mendeleyev's literal translation: Russians looooooove an excuse to miss work, party and drink. Almost as much as Asians.   

[Ooooops]

Oooops: Russians loooooove holidays…   Almost as much as Asians

Mendeleyev's literal translation: Russians looooooove an excuse to miss work, party and drink. Almost as much as Asians.   

See, you know us too well!        But quite a few new celebrated holidays popped up since I left, still keeping the old once in place.    [size=78%]  [/size]

[Ooooops]

BTW, today is October Revolution Day, isn't it?   Is it still celebrated as much as the newly founded Unity Day?