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Unity Day
Why Putin’s regime is deeply rooted in history
On November 4th, Russia celebrates Unity Day, one of its most unusual public holidays. On this day in 1612 (October 22nd in the Julian calendar), the militia led by Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from Polish-Lithuanian invaders. This event is considered to mark the end of the Time of Troubles, when Russia almost lost its statehood once again.
A few months after the liberation of Moscow, the Zemsky Sobor was convened, which brought together representatives of all classes: nobles, boyars, clergy, Cossacks, Streltsy, peasants, and delegates from Russian cities, who elected a new tsar, Mikhail Romanov.
In 1613, Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich proclaimed the Day of Liberation of Moscow from Polish invaders. After 1649 this holiday was celebrated as the feast of the Kazan Mother of God. According to the legend, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was sent to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and became the patron saint of the militia. To commemorate the liberation of Moscow and the Kremlin, the Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square. After the 1917 Revolution the church holidays ceased to exist in the public sphere, the calendar was reformed and November 4 ceased to be a holiday.