The Day of National Unity to be celebrated by churches of Bashkortostan

The Day of National Unity will be celebrated by all churches in Bashkortostan, the press-service of Ufa Eparchy reports.

Solemn liturgies, accompanied by the religious processions with the participation of pupils from the Sunday schools, Christian gymnasiums and the congregation, will be served by all churches of the Eparchy on November 4.

The Day of National Unity, officially celebrated by the country since November 4, 2005 – on the Day of Kazan Godmother Icon – is concerned with one of the key events in Russian history – with the liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders. On November 4, 1612, the Russian national volunteer corps under the command of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Podgarsky had taken the China-Town by the storm, thus freeing Moscow from Polish interventionists and demonstrating the example of heroism and solidarity of the whole nation, irrespective of origin, religion and positions in the society.

In 1649 in accordance with the decree of the Tzar Alexei Mikhailovitch the Day of Kazan Godmother Icon – November 4 – had been declared the state holiday. But in the times of the Soviet power the tradition to celebrate the liberation of Moscow from Poles was stopped. Thereby the Day of National Unity, which appeared in Russia six years ago, is not a new holiday but just the return to the old tradition.