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National Unity Day
For 10 years now, Russians have been celebrating National Unity Day on November 4th. It was included in the number of public holidays Russian Federation in commemoration of the capture of Kitai-gorod by the soldiers of the people's militia led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky. This event began the liberation of Moscow and the expulsion of the Polish invaders from Russia.
Sutochno.ru invites you to follow the path of the militia and go on a short excursion into the past. We will tell you about the surviving objects associated with those old events. All you have to do is buy a train ticket and get comfortable sneakers from the closet. A place to sleep can be found. So, let's go!
Events in Nizhny Novgorod. Militia organization
Fast forward to the distant 17th century. Times were troubled. The country was ruled by the Shuiskys, greedy for power and a gold treasury. In 1606 False Dmitry the First was killed under mysterious circumstances. The Poles and gangs of local thugs, who were not ashamed to benefit from the Troubles, carried trouble and ruined Russia. The people murmured, one of the most important cities in the country at that time. He murmured, but did not break the oath of allegiance to Tsar Shuisky. Even the failure of the first militia, assembled at the beginning of 1611, did not break the will of the people.
In September 1611, a city-wide meeting of Nizhny Novgorod residents took place. Their ideological leader was Kuzma Minin, the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo headman. On that day, the townspeople defended a prayer service in the Savior Transfiguration Cathedral, which has not survived to this day (it was on the territory, has not survived to this day).
Then they went to the square ( modern name - National Unity Square), to the Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist. From her porch, Minin called on his fellow citizens to assemble a second militia.
By the way, at the beginning of the 1680s this wooden church was dismantled and a stone church was built in its place, which is still in operation.
Events in Yaroslavl
So, a second militia was formed in Nizhny Novgorod. Its commander was Prince Pozharsky, who proved himself during the first militia as an excellent leader and experienced strategist. In addition, Pozharsky had an excellent pedigree - the prince was a descendant of the Rurikovich in the 20th generation. As for Minin, he was in charge of the treasury and economic affairs in the militia.
During February-March 1612, the Nizhny Novgorod militia moved towards Moscow. On the way, more and more detachments joined him. Arriving in Yaroslavl, the militias stood there until July 1612. Minin and Pozharsky sent letters to all Russian cities with a request to send two people from each class to Yaroslavl to organize the Council of All the Land. This elected body became the all-Russian government, and the city of Yaroslavl temporarily assumed the function of the capital of the Russian state. As for the militia, it already consisted of ten thousand people.
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery has been preserved in Yaroslavl to this day. From its walls, after serving a thanksgiving service and consecrating the banners, the militia moved to Moscow. This monastery, founded in the 11th century, is also known for the fact that Mikhail Romanov stayed there in March-April 1613. From there he sent a letter of consent to the throne to the capital.
On the territory of the monastery there is a stele "Oath of Prince Pozharsky". It was installed in memory of the events associated with the expulsion of Poles from Russia.
Another stone witness of the stay of the militia in Yaroslavl is the Spaso-Proboinskaya Church. It was built in 1612 in honor of the miraculous icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. According to legend, the icon appeared in a dream to the archpriest of the Yaroslavl Assumption Cathedral Church and saved the city from the outbreak of an epidemic of pestilence.
The church is located on Chelyuskintsev Square and is a stone five-domed church on the basement with a refectory. From 1929 to 1990, the church was converted into a workshop of a furniture factory, and in 2007 it was handed over to believers.
The battle with the troops of Chodkiewicz
The first skirmish between the Russian militias and the Poles under the leadership of Hetman Chodkiewicz took place on September 1, 1612. To prevent the convoy with supplies for the Polish garrison from entering the Kremlin, Pozharsky and his warriors blocked his path at the walls, and the steel forces of the militia stood behind the Crimean ford. Russian soldiers forced Khodkevich to retreat to Poklonnaya Gora and then to the Donskoy Monastery.
The decisive battle between the militia and the Poles took place on September 3. Kuzma Minin was particularly distinguished. He with a detachment of Nizhny Novgorod attacked the enemy, and the main forces of the militia and the Cossacks arrived in time and put Khodkevich's army to flight. On the morning of September 4, the hetman left Moscow with the remnants of the troops.
The Novodevichy Convent, founded in 1524, has survived to this day in an almost unchanged form. There, Boris Godunov was proclaimed tsar, who was one of the indirect culprits of the Troubles.
You can also visit the site of the Crimean ford, where the Crimean bridge is located today. On, as in the days of the struggle of the militia for the expulsion of the Polish interventionists, is the Donskoy Monastery. It was plundered by the enemy and restored only under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich.
Liberation of Moscow
The battles for Kitai-Gorod began on November 1. As a result, he was taken by Russian troops, and on November 5 the last Polish interventionist left the Kremlin. On November 6, at the Execution Ground, Archimandrite Dionysius performed a solemn prayer service to commemorate the victory of the militia. And so, to the sound of bells, Russian soldiers entered the Kremlin. Moscow is liberated from the enemy!
The Execution Ground, which appeared in 1521, witnessed the triumph of the Russian army and today is located on Red Square. Also preserved are some buildings of Kitay-gorod, which existed in the days when the militia fought for the Kremlin.
Memory of warriors and heroes
The memory of those events over the centuries has been immortalized in various monuments, which are also worth talking about:
The monument was planned to be installed in 1812, to the 200th anniversary of the heroic events, but the plans were disrupted by the invasion of Napoleonic troops. And only in February 1818, with funds collected throughout Russia, the monument was erected in front of the main entrance to the Upper Trading Rows (now the GUM building), facing the Kremlin.
On February 20 (March 4), 1818, the grand opening of the monument took place with the participation of Emperor Alexander I and his family and with a huge number of people. A guard parade took place on Red Square.
This event found coverage in all newspapers and magazines that existed at that time. During the festive opening of the monument, music thundered, and the guard troops marched on parade. Not only the roofs of adjacent buildings, but even the Kremlin walls were littered with people. The general enthusiasm and celebrations on the occasion of the opening of the monument are explained not only by the theme consonant with the general patriotic mood, but also by the skill of the sculptor, who managed to express this mood in the images of his heroes.
"... The inscription to Citizen Minin, of course, is not satisfactory: for us he is either the petty bourgeoisie Kosma Minin, nicknamed Sukhoruka, or the Duma nobleman Kosma Minich Sukhorukoy, or, finally, Kuzma Minin, an elected person from the entire Moscow state, as he is named in the diploma about the election of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. It would not be bad to know all this, as well as the name and patronymic of Prince Pozharsky. "
A. S. Pushkin
For Nizhny Novgorod, Ivan Martos created the stella monument (1826).
The author of the monument, Ivan Petrovich Martos, explained the idea of \u200b\u200bhis creation in this way: “The Greeks and Romans, as well as in the sciences and arts, as well as in the success of weapons, erected monuments to their husbands and, passing on to their offspring their feats in majestic images, thereby perpetuating their own glory ... And our Fatherland erects many monuments to such rare men, such immortal heroeswhose love for the Fatherland would amaze Rome and Greece. "
In 1803, members of the Free Society of Lovers of Literature, Sciences and Arts made a proposal to start raising funds for the construction of the monument. Initially, the monument was supposed to be installed in Nizhny Novgorod - the city where the Second People's Militia was assembled.
The sculptor Ivan MARTOS immediately began work on the project of the monument. In 1807, he published an engraving from the first model of the monument, in which he presents the national heroes Minin and Pozharsky to Russian society as liberators of the country from a foreign yoke.
In 1808, the residents of Nizhny Novgorod applied for the Highest permission to invite other compatriots to participate in the creation of the monument. The proposal was approved by Emperor Alexander I, who strongly supported the idea of \u200b\u200berecting the monument.
In November 1808, the sculptor Ivan Martos won the competition for best project monument. An Imperial decree was issued to subscribe to fundraising throughout Russia. The subscribers' names were printed and made public.
Taking into account the importance of the monument to Russian history, it was decided to erect it in Moscow, and to erect a marble obelisk in honor of Minin and Prince Pozharsky in Nizhny Novgorod. Interest in the creation of the monument was already great, but after Patriotic War it has grown even more. Russian citizens saw this sculpture as a symbol of victory.
Work on the creation of the monument began at the end of 1812 under the leadership of Ivan Martos. A small model of the monument was completed in mid-1812. In the same year, Martos began making a large model and in early 1813 the model was opened to the public. The work was highly appreciated by Empress Maria Fedorovna (February 4) and members of the Academy of Arts.
The plot of the monument: a citizen of Nizhny Novgorod, the zemstvo head Minin points to Prince Pozharsky at the Kremlin and urges him to rise up to fight the Poles. At that moment, the prince was resting near Nizhny Novgorod and being treated for wounds received in Moscow battles during the First Militia. Kuzma Minin gives him an old sword as a future military commander, and he himself undertakes to find and collect funds and soldiers.
On the front of the pedestal, a high relief depicts Novgorod citizens raising funds for the Second People's Militia.
On this bronze high relief, the author also placed his own image (the figure of a man sending his sons to the militia is on the far left). The son of Martos, Alexei, was a participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, fought in the army of Admiral Chichagov ... another son, Nikita, on whom he had pinned his hopes as the successor of his work, was killed during the war in France in 1813, where he was as a pensioner Academy of Arts.
Ivan Petrovich Martos. Portrait by P.O. Rossi
Ivan MARTOS is a great worker. He created (the list is not complete) - a bronze figure of John the Baptist on the portico of the Kazan Cathedral, monuments to royal persons - Grand Duchess Alexandra Pavlovna, Empress Catherine the Great, Emperor Alexander I; a "cult for Odessa" monument to the Duke de Richelieu was also created, monuments to Potemkin in Kherson and Lomonosov in Kholmogory ...
It is imperative to say about two outstanding co-authors of Martos.
Vasily Petrovich YEKIMOV (1758-1837) - master of foundries. As a 12-year-old boy, he was taken prisoner in Turkey. He studied at the Academy of Arts "in the class of copper and hammering." His works are world famous: the fountain “Samson Breaking the Lion's Jaws” in Peterhof, the bronze “Paradise Gates” of the Kazan Cathedral, the statues of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly at the Kazan Cathedral and, of course, the monument to Minin and Pozharsky.
Casting was the finest technological operation. Copper - 1100 poods (about 18 tons) - was cooked for 10 hours, pouring went in one step for 9 minutes ... The work was accompanied by dangers. When pouring, a breakthrough occurred in the form, 60 pounds flowed out. The breakthrough was stopped ... Yekimov's student was P.K. Klodt, who cast a statue of St. Vladimir for Kiev over the years. The casting of such a colossal monument was once performed for the first time in European history.
And the second outstanding person - Samson Ksenofontovich SUKHANOV (1768-1840s) - mason, "master of columns". He made a pedestal from red granite. Sukhanov is a native of the farm laborers of the Arkhangelsk province. He has embodied in reality the masterpieces of great architects: the colonnade of the Kazan Cathedral, the interior decoration of the Kazan and St. Isaac's Cathedrals, the arrow of Vasilyevsky Island, Rostral columns and much more ...
Sukhanov made the pedestal of the monument, consisting of three solid pieces of granite.
It was originally intended to use Siberian marble. But due to the significant size of the monument, it was decided to use granite. Huge stones were brought to St. Petersburg from the coast of Finland, which was part of the Russian Empire.
On the shield of Prince Pozharsky, the face of SPAS Not Made by Hands is depicted
On the back of the pedestal, the high relief depicts Prince Pozharsky driving the Poles from Moscow. This is a military feat.
"The Miraculous Icon of the Kazan Most Holy Mother of God, revealed in 1579."
This icon of the Mother of God appeared in the city of Kazan - hence its name - to the nine-year-old girl Matrona. The phenomenon was repeated three times, about which the girl told the Kazan bishop, who, at the direction of Matrona, found the icon in the ground and made a procession with it.
With the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God, revealed in 1579, the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo militia managed to take Kitay-Gorod by storm on November 4, 1612 and expel the Poles from Moscow. The icon has become especially revered.
At the end of February 1613, the Zemsky Sobor, which included representatives of all estates of the country - the nobility, boyars, clergy, Cossacks, archers, black-haired peasants and delegates from many Russian cities - elected Mikhail ROMANOV (son of Metropolitan Filaret) as the new tsar, the first Russian tsar from dynasty ROMANOV. The Zemsky Sobor in 1613 became the final victory over the Troubles, the triumph of Orthodoxy and national unity.
The confidence that it was thanks to the icon of the Kazan Mother of God that the victory was won was so deep that Prince Pozharsky, with his own money, specially built the Kazan Cathedral on the edge of Red Square, where the icon was installed. Since then, the Kazan icon began to be revered not only as the patroness of the Romanovs' house, but by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who ruled in 1645-1676, a mandatory celebration was established on November 4 as "The Day of Thanksgiving to the Most Holy Theotokos for her help in liberating Russia from the Poles." (celebrated until 1917).
This day entered the church calendar as "Celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from the Poles in 1612"
In 2005, a copy of the Moscow monument was installed in Nizhny Novgorod. Sculptor Zurab Tsereteli
Dmitry Pozharsky was buried in the ancestral tomb in the Spaso-Evfimievsky Monastery in Suzdal. There in 1974 a monument was erected by the sculptor N. A. Shcherbakov and architect I. A. Gunst.
Monument to Kuzma Minin in Nizhny Novgorod
IN hometown Kuzma Minin Balakhna erected a monument to him
Memorial plaque installed in front of the monument to Kuzma Minin in Balakhna
An extraordinary event was the transportation of the monument by water from St. Petersburg, where it was cast, to Moscow through Nizhny Novgorod, which lasted four whole months. To reload the monument, a stop was made in Nizhny Novgorod for several days. On this occasion, the journal "Son of the Fatherland" wrote: "No pen can depict the admiration of both Nizhny Novgorod and the entire local region for the appearance on the waters of such a famous monument ... Nizhny Novgorod citizens of both sexes and all ages. from morning till night they would come to the courts to see this monument, famous for its subject matter, art and size ”.
In the 30s of the XX century. the monument was moved to the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed, since it interfered with the holding of demonstrations and parades on Red Square.
Since 2005, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on November 4, the day of the liberation of the Kremlin in 1612, is officially celebrated in Russia as the Day of National Unity. The symbol of the Day of National Unity and the coming revival, of course, is the monument to Minin and Pozharsky.
National Unity Day is celebrated on November 4. This holiday has its own an interesting storyinextricably linked with the history of the entire country. Many interesting facts are associated with it, which should replenish the piggy bank of the erudite of every curious person. Speaking about this date, it is worth remembering such names as Minin, Pozharsky. It was these people who led the Moscow militia that rid Moscow of the Poles.
Interesting facts related to this holiday will tell a lot about the history of the country, you should definitely know them.
When did you start celebrating National Unity Day?
The holiday became state-owned in 2005, when the corresponding decree was issued. However, it was noted earlier. And the decrees on its holding were also issued at earlier dates - for example, in 1649 Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich issued a decree to mark the memorable date of 1612, October 22, according to the old style, as the day of the liberation of Moscow from the Polish princes. On this day, it was supposed to pray to the Mother of God, to worship the Kazan icon of the Mother of God. The holiday was supposed to remain relevant for all cities. The holiday was celebrated on this day until the calendar was changed to a modern one, which people still use today. When introduced new calendar, the date has moved to November 4th. It is on this day that the holiday is celebrated to this day.
The history of the holiday - interesting facts
Minin and Pozharsky led the people's militia in 1611-1612, in an extremely difficult period for the country, when there was an open offensive by the Polish army and the country's intervention. It was not possible to give an organized rebuff to the enemy; it was necessary to centralize the liberation movements. Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin succeeded. They organized resistance to the enemy by gathering a second militia. The first fell apart due to strife between the Cossacks and the nobles. Pozharsky managed to take part in the first militia.
Minin, on the other hand, turned out to be a person like Jeanne Dark, because he saw in his dreams Sergius of Radonezh, who urged him to begin the liberation of the Russian lands. The Virgin Unifier of France also had inspiring dreams, only with the Archangel Michael.
The militia that defeated the invaders was not popular. In fact, it was mainly about mercenaries, since the soldiers were paid money. Kuzma Minin, being the townspeople headman in Novgorod, turned to the townspeople, indicating the need to collect money, and each family had to hand over to the treasury a fifth of their fortune. According to other sources, up to a third of the material property was leased. As a result, they managed to hire soldiers who received from 30 to 50 rubles a year.
The liberation of Russia from the interventionists ended the period of the Time of Troubles, an extremely difficult era, when robbery and confusion reigned. Events of this period led to the throne of the Romanovs, the last tsarist dynasty to rule Russia.
The militia took Moscow by storm, the enemies were driven out. The Poles who survived the battle were brought to justice, as were the representatives of the nobility who let them into the city. Many boyars were pardoned, Minin and Pozharsky stood up for the forgiveness of these people.
The first time the holiday was celebrated as a victory, then a tradition arose to celebrate it annually, supported by a royal decree.
Monuments and monuments in honor of the National Unity Day
There is a monument in honor of Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow, it can be seen on Red Square. But he is not the only one. There is also a similar monument in Veliky Novgorod. His project was created by M.O. Mikeshin, the monument was built in 1862, when the millennium of Russia was celebrated. This monument depicts not only Minin and Pozharsky, but also other people known for their exploits.
The Moscow monument was opened in 1818, initially it was supposed to be installed in Nizhny Novgorod, but in the end it ended up in the capital, near the St. Basil's Cathedral. An obelisk was erected in Novgorod. It is located at the Eternal Flame, not far from the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. The decision to erect a monument in Moscow was made by Nicholas I, he liked this sculpture created by Martos so much.
Almost 200 years later, Nizhny Novgorod still received its sculpture as it was originally intended. On November 4, 2005, in the process of celebrating the Day of National Unity, a monument to Minin and Pozharsky was unveiled in this city, which was an exact but reduced copy of the Moscow one. It was created by Zurab Tsereteli. This monument was erected exactly at the place where Minin spoke his speech, near the Church of John the Baptist.
Opera Minin and Pozharsky
In honor of the heroes' feat, an opera was written, which was broadcast on the radio in 1938. But not everyone knows that Bulgakov himself took part in its creation. Minin's words were written by him, and it was not an easy job. The work was repeatedly criticized by the party leadership, it had to be redone several times. This did not prevent her from becoming popular, successfully competing with the opera about Susanin, which enjoyed great success during those years. It is also worth noting that one of the songs of this opera, which sounded on behalf of the people's militia, was regularly performed during the difficult years of World War II. The call to fight for Moscow, sounding in it, turned out to be very relevant.
In 2011, a new opera was written; Boris Sazonov, a composer from Nizhny Novgorod, worked on it. The audience highly appreciated the new work.
Are there any official sources?
It was possible to learn about the events of those days mainly from the chronicles. Researchers would be happy to familiarize themselves with any personal documents of Minin and Pozharsky, but these have not been found so far. We managed to find only the signatures of both heroes, which appear under some papers. Minin is mentioned in the papers from the moment the fundraising began. These people could not be illiterate, so the documents probably simply did not survive. But it is possible that someday it will be possible to find the papers of these people.
Today, National Unity Day is a nationwide holiday, celebrated annually on November 4. This is a day off, it takes place with folk festivals, in which everyone can take part.
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Day of National Unity November 4 Symbols of the holiday: a monument to Minin and Pozharsky and the concept - COMMON BUSINESS. Are we capable of a common cause today? The symbols of the holiday: a monument to Minin and Pozharsky and the concept - COMMON BUSINESS. Are we capable of a common cause today?
On this day, October 22 (November 4, new style), 1612, Russia was saved. Volunteering and self-sacrifice are characteristic of this day. Russia was saved by people who, despite their class affiliation, stood under the same banner. For the first time, the people's militia came out, which was headed by representatives of different classes, cultural and social strata, the level of education, the way of thinking Russia was saved by people who, despite their class affiliation, stood under one banner. For the first time, the people's militia came out, which was headed by representatives of different classes, cultural and social strata, the level of education, the way of thinking PRINCE DMITRY POZHARSKY and KUPETS KUZMA MININ. PRINCE DMITRY POZHARSKY and KUPETS KUZMA MININ.
The main role in the militia was played by the townspeople. Minin and Pozharsky headed the Council of the Whole Earth. The main role in the militia was played by the townspeople. Minin and Pozharsky headed the Council of the Whole Earth. Funds for arming the militia were obtained thanks to the voluntary donations of the population and the mandatory taxation on a fifth of the property. Yaroslavl became the center for the formation of a new militia. Funds for arming the militia were obtained thanks to voluntary donations from the population and a mandatory taxation on a fifth of the property. Yaroslavl became the center for the formation of a new militia
The militia turned out to be an amazing phenomenon, it appeared when it seemed that Russia was living out its last days, when it seemed that there was no such force that would be able to resist the invaders. The militia turned out to be an amazing phenomenon, it appeared when it seemed that Russia was living out its last days, when it seemed that there was no such force that would be able to resist the invaders. It was a demonstration of the will for independence, love for the Motherland, the ability to self-organize when there is no central government, the capital was surrendered by Russian collaborators, and military units went over to the side of the enemy. On the throne are people alien to Russia. It was a demonstration of the will for independence, love for the Motherland, the ability to self-organize when there is no central government, the capital was surrendered by Russian collaborators, and military units went over to the side of the enemy. On the throne are people alien to Russia.
On October 22, on the day the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, accompanying the militia, was found, China was taken - a city. Four days later, the Polish garrison surrendered in the Kremlin. On October 22, on the day the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, accompanying the militia, was found, China was taken - a city. Four days later, the Polish garrison surrendered in the Kremlin.
In memory of the liberation of Moscow from the interventionists, a church in honor of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan was erected on Red Square at the expense of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. In memory of the liberation of Moscow from the interventionists, a temple in honor of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan was erected on Red Square at the expense of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky.
Grateful Russia erected the first sculptural monument in Moscow to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square (sculptor Martos, 1818) The first sculptural monument in Moscow was erected by grateful Russia to Minin and Pozharsky on Red Square (sculptor Martos, 1818)
This will be repeated many times in Russian history. Ordinary Russian people, realizing that the country is threatened by a mortal enemy, selflessly rise to its defense. This will be repeated many times in Russian history. Ordinary Russian people, realizing that the country is threatened by a mortal enemy, selflessly stand up to its defense. Example: The feat of the Kostroma peasant Ivan Susanin, who donated own life in the struggle against the Polish invaders, who led the enemies into a deep forest, into a swamp (1613). According to legend, in this way he saved Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, who was then living in Kostroma, chosen for the kingdom. An example of self-sacrifice. Example: The feat of the Kostroma peasant Ivan Susanin, who sacrificed his own life in the struggle against the Polish invaders, who led the enemies into a deep forest, into a swamp, is always a symbol of loyalty to the Motherland (1613). According to legend, in this way he saved Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, who was then living in Kostroma, chosen for the kingdom. An example of self-sacrifice year. People's militia - patriots of Smolensk, Borodino. Tarutino year. People's militia - patriots of Smolensk, Borodino. Tarutino. A massive partisan movement that made the stay of the French in Russia unbearable. The militia, which pursued the enemy, making it possible to preserve the main forces of the Russian army. A massive partisan movement that made the stay of the French in Russia unbearable. The militia, which pursued the enemy, making it possible to preserve the main forces of the Russian army.
The People's Militia of 1941 The year 1941 again showed that the militia is an amazing, unique manifestation of the Russian soul, the fact of readiness to sacrifice for the sake of their Motherland. The volunteers took the time to deploy a regular army. The year has shown again that the militia is an amazing, unique manifestation of the Russian soul, a fact of readiness to sacrifice for the sake of their homeland. The volunteers took the time to deploy a regular army. THEM ALL are united by the thought: Who, if not us? They went to their death, knowing what they were dying for - for the Motherland! THEM ALL are united by the thought: Who, if not us? They went to their death, knowing what they were dying for - for the Motherland!
Remember: Without understanding, awareness, instilling a sense of great power in each of us, our Fatherland cannot become a truly GREAT POWER. Without understanding, awareness, fostering a sense of statehood in each of us, our Fatherland cannot become a truly GREAT POWER. THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY IS YOURS. THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY IS YOURS.
The holiday was established by the Federal Law "On the Introduction to Article 1 of the Federal Law" On the Days of Military Glory (Victory Days) of Russia ", signed in December 2004 by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
National Unity Day was established in memory of the events of 1612, when the people's militia led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from the Polish invaders. Historically, this holiday is associated with the end of the Time of Troubles in Russia in the 17th century. The Time of Troubles - the period from the death in 1584 of Tsar Ivan the Terrible and until 1613, when the first of the Romanov dynasty reigned on the Russian throne - was an era of deep crisis of the Moscow state caused by the suppression of the royal dynasty of Rurikovich. The dynastic crisis soon developed into a national-state crisis. The united Russian state collapsed, numerous impostors appeared. Widespread robbery, robbery, theft, bribery, and general drunkenness struck the country.
It seemed to many contemporaries of the Troubles that the final ruin of the "blessed Moscow kingdom" had taken place. The authorities in Moscow usurped the "seven-boyars" headed by Prince Fyodor Mstislavsky, which sent Polish troops into the Kremlin with the intention of placing the Catholic prince Vladislav on the Russian throne.
In this difficult time for Russia, Patriarch Hermogenes called on the Russian people to defend Orthodoxy and expel the Polish invaders from Moscow. "It's time to lay down your soul for the House of the Most Holy Theotokos!" - wrote the patriarch. His appeal was taken up by the Russian people. A broad patriotic movement began to liberate the capital from the Poles. The first people's (zemstvo) militia was led by the Ryazan governor Prokopy Lyapunov. But because of the strife between the nobles and the Cossacks, who, on false accusations, killed the voivode, the militia broke up. The anti-Polish uprising, which began prematurely in Moscow on March 19, 1611, was defeated.
In September 1611, a "merchant", the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo headman Kuzma Minin appealed to the townspeople with an appeal to create a militia. At a city gathering, he delivered his famous speech: “Orthodox people, we want to help the Moscow state, we will not regret our bellies, but not just our bellies - we will sell our yards, we will lay our wives and children and we will beat our heads so that someone becomes our boss. And what praise will be to all of us from the Russian land, that from such a small city like ours, such a great thing will happen. "
At Minin's call, the townspeople voluntarily gave "third money" for the creation of the zemstvo militia. But voluntary contributions were not enough. Therefore, a compulsory collection of the "fifth money" was announced: each had to contribute to the militia treasury a fifth of their income for the salaries of servicemen.
At the suggestion of Minin, the 30-year-old Novgorod prince Dmitry Pozharsky was invited to the post of chief governor. Pozharsky did not immediately accept the offer, agreed to be a voivode, provided that the townspeople themselves would choose an assistant for him, who would command over the treasury of the militia. And Minin became "an elected man of the whole earth." So at the head of the second zemstvo militia were two people elected by the people and clothed with its full confidence.
a huge army at that time - more than 10 thousand local servicemen, up to three thousand Cossacks, more than a thousand archers and many "tributary people" from the peasants.
Representatives of all classes and all peoples that were part of the Russian state took part in the national militia, in the liberation of the Russian land from foreign invaders.
With the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God, revealed in 1579, the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo militia managed on November 4, 1612 to storm Kitay-Gorod and drive the Poles out of Moscow.
This victory served as a powerful impetus for the revival of the Russian state. And the icon has become a subject of special reverence.
At the end of February 1613, the Zemsky Sobor, which included representatives of all classes of the country - the nobility, boyars, clergy, Cossacks, archers, black-haired peasants and delegates from many Russian cities, elected Mikhail Romanov (son of Metropolitan Filaret), the first Russian tsar from the dynasty, as the new tsar. Romanovs. The Zemsky Sobor in 1613 became the final victory over the Troubles, the triumph of Orthodoxy and national unity.
The confidence that it was thanks to the icon of the Kazan Mother of God that the victory was won was so deep that Prince Pozharsky, using his own money, specially built the Kazan Cathedral on the edge of Red Square. Since then, the Kazan icon began to be revered not only as the patroness of the House of Romanov, but by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who ruled in 1645-1676, a mandatory celebration was established on November 4 as a day of gratitude to the Most Holy Theotokos for her help in the liberation of Russia from the Poles (celebrated before 1917). This day entered the church calendar as the Celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from the Poles in 1612.
Thus, National Unity Day is essentially not at all new holidayand return to old tradition.
On National Unity Day in different cities of our country, political parties and social movements organize rallies, processions and concerts, charity events and sports events.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources