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Observed National Holidays
Russian holidays present a motley picture — new and old, official and unofficial, professional and private, religious and secular. All occasions warrant a celebration. We describe here only a few principal holidays, in chronological order.
The Official Holidays (Observed)
| January 1-5 |
New Year Holidays |
| January 7 |
Christmas, Russian Orthodox |
| February 23 |
Protector of Motherland Day |
| March 8 |
International Women’s Day |
| May 1 |
Spring and Labor Day |
| May 9 |
Victory Day (Over German Nazism in the WW2) |
| June 12 |
Day of Russia |
| November 4 |
Day of the National Unity | |
The New Year is first on the calendar and in popularity. Many celebrate it twice, on January 1 and 14 (which conesponds to January 1 in the Julian calendar, used in Russia before 1918.
It differs slightly from the Gregorian calendar used by most of the world. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, all religious holidays, including Christmas were banned, so to many Soviet people the New Year was the biggest holiday of the year. Since 1992 Christmas has been openly observed in Russia and now the New Year's celebration usually flows directly into the celebration of Russian Orthodox Christmas observed on January 7. However, New Year remains the most important holiday for most Russians.
Next is February 23, Day, known until recently as Soviet Army Day, popularly viewed as holiday for all men and closely followed by its female counter-part, Women's Day, March 8, when women receive flowers, presents and are toasted by men.
Mayday, until recently officially termed International Workers' Solidarity Day, is now known as Spring and Labour Day. On some years, it occurs on or close to with Russian Orthodox Easter, so some people celebrate in church while some attend customary demonstrations.
Russia celebrates Victory Day on May 9 to commemorate the millions fallen in World War II. Flowers and wreaths are laid on wartime graves on this day, and veterans come out into the streets wearing their military orders and medals. Alas, there are fewer of them with every passing year.
June 12 is Russia's Independence Day. Russia Day is an Independence Day holiday in the Russian Federation celebrated on June 12. On this day, in 1990, Russian parliament formally declared its sovereignty. While the holiday has been officially recognised since 1991 when it was established by Boris Yeltsin, 2003 is the first year that it was celebrated in a major way, when promoted by Vladimir Putin. There was a big parade in Moscow..
Day of People’s Unity
November 4. Day of People’s Unity (or National unity day, Russian: Äåíü íàðîäíîãî åäèíñòâà), first celebrated in 2005, commemorates the popular uprising which ejected the Polish-Lithuanian occupying force from Moscow in November of 1612, and more generally the end of the Time of Troubles and foreign intervention in Russia. Its name alludes to the idea that all the classes of Russian society willingly united to preserve Russian statehood when its demise seemed inevitable, even though there was neither Tsar nor Patriarch to guide them. Most observers view this as an attempted replacement holiday for November 7 to counter Communist demonstrations, due to its proximity on the calendar.
Church feasts have been reborn. Easter is celebrated nationwide, as of old, and Christmas became a day off. Muslims, Jews and Buddhists also celebrate their feasts without fear of secular authorities.
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