The public holiday was established in honour of events of 1612 when Russian voluntary troops commanded by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from foreign invaders.
In the church calendar this is Day of Our Lady of Kazan whose icon was the main relic of the voluntary troops. In 2005, the Russian government made November 4th a public holiday.
The holiday is linked with the heroic pages in the history of the Russian people; it implicates the idea of national consent, cohesion and unity.
The Vologda Region is a diverse assemblage of ethnicities, languages and faiths. This holiday is a symbol of devotion to the motherland, connection of generations and loyalty to the spiritual traditions of the country.
Vologda’s authorities plan a number of major festive actions and events not only in Vologda, but also in other cities and towns of the Vologda Region.