Official holidaysNew Year's Day is one of the most favorite holidays in Russia. On the New Year's Eve Russians decorate fir-trees, hide presents for each other underneath them, make fireworks, cook delicious meals, set the table and celebrate in the joyous company of family and friends. The integral part of this holiday are Farther Frost and his granddaughter "Snegurochka" (a snow girl). For the first time this holiday was proclaimed by Peter The Great's order dated back to January 20th, 1700. Nowadays many celebrate coming of the New Year twice - on January 1st and 14th (which corresponds to January 1st in the Julian calendar, used in Russia before 1918).
Orthodox Christmas: This period from 7th till 19th of January is the best period for telling fortunes, as it is the Saint Christmas week, when people have fun, wear fancy clothes and travel from one home to another asking for favors. During Christmas holidays people try to be better, purer; it is time for good deeds. Christmas is the holiday of waiting for miracles, a unique mixture of folk and Christian customs and traditions.
Defender of the Motherland Day, (23th of February)also known as The Army Day, or Men's Day, is a tribute to all the generations of Russian soldiers from the ancient times till modern days, to all those who courageously defended our Motherland from invaders. On this day the entire masculine population - from boys to old men - receive special greetings and presents. Women have a wonderful opportunity to convey their warmest and kindest feelings to the loved ones and to indulge them with sings of attention and affection.
International Women's Day (on March 8 ) was born at a time of great social turbulence and crisis, and thus initially was associated with a tradition of protest and political activism. On March 8, 1857 textile female-workers of New York held a rally against low wages and bad labor conditions. In 1910 to commemorate these events the International Women's Congress in Copenhagen proclaimed this date as the International Women's Day to be marked annually. In Russia it has been celebrated since 1913 and now is also treated as the first spring holiday, which cherishes the love for and beauty of the Russian women and women all over the world.
Spring and Labor Celebration dates its history back to May 1st, 1886, when the workers of Chicago went on strike and demanded that the workday be cut from 15 hours down to 8 hours. In Russia this holiday was celebrated for the first time on May 1st, 1890 as the International Workers' Solidarity Day. In 1997 it received its current name.
Victory Day (on May 9) is one of the most sacred holidays for the Russian people. Russia commemorates on this day the dozens of millions of its countrymen fallen in World War II. Flowers and wreaths are laid on the wartime graves. Veterans come out into the streets wearing their military decorations and medals. The entire nation pays tribute to the eternal sacrifice that ensured its future.
Russia Day Russia Day is a holiday of national unity celebrated in Russia on June 12. On this day, in 1990, Russian parliament formally declared its sovereignty. The holiday changed its name twice. Initially it was named Independence Day then in 1994 was renamed to Day of the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation and finally on 1 February 2002 was officially renamed to Russia Day (in 1998 Boris Yeltsin offered this name socially). While the holiday has been officially recognized since 1991 when it was established by Boris Yeltsin, 2003 was the first year that it was celebrated in a major way, when promoted by Vladimir Putin.
National Unity Day, though being a newly adopted holiday, refers to a critical point in Russian history and honors the liberation of Moscow on November 4th, 1612 from the Polish invaders - in great manifestation of the national unity - by a people's army consisting of all classes of the Russian society.
Day of the Russian Federation State Flag (August 22) - This is a day to honor the Russian flag.
Day of Accord and Conciliation (November 7) - Largely customary, this holiday recalls the anniversary of the socialist revolution that established communism in Russia.
Constitution Day (December 12) - The country's primary legal document and the foundation on which Russian law is built receives recognition at this time.
Popular HolidaysTatiana Day is a Russian religious holiday observed on January 25 according to the Gregorian calendar, January 12 according to the Julian. It is named after Saint Tatiana, a Christian martyr in 2nd century Rome during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus.
In 1755 on the name day of Ivan Shuvalov's mother Tatiana Rodionovna, his mistress Empress Elizabeth of Russia endorsed his petition to establish a university in Moscow. The church of Saint Tatiana was later built in the university campus, the Russian Orthodox Church declared Saint Tatiana the patron saint of students, and Tatiana Day has become celebrated as Russian Students Day.
Maslenitsa , Cheesefare Week, or Pancake week is a Russian religious and folk holiday. It is celebrated during the last week before Great Lent—that is, the seventh week before Pascha (Easter)—though some of its traditions date back to the pagan times. Maslenitsa corresponds to the Western Christian Carnival, except that the Orthodox Lent begins on a Monday instead of a Wednesday. In 2007, Maslenitsa was celebrated from February 12 to February 18.
Maslenitsa has a dual ancestry: pagan and Christian. On the pagan side, Maslenitsa is a sun festival, celebrating the imminent end of the winter.
Easter, the Sunday of the Resurrection, Pascha, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed at some point between late March and late April each year (early April to early May in Eastern Christianity), following the cycle of the moon. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, which Christians believe occurred on the third day of his death by crucifixion some time in the period AD 27 to 33. Easter also refers to the season of the church year, called Eastertide or the Easter Season. Traditionally the Easter Season lasted for the forty days from Easter Day until Ascension Day but now officially lasts for the fifty days until Pentecost. The first week of the Easter Season is known as Easter Week or the Octave of Easter.
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