April 12 Astronautics Day 1st Sunday Geology Day, 2nd Sunday Air Defense Day, 3rd Sunday Science Day
May 1-2 International Labor Day, 5th Printing Day, 7th Radio Day, 9th Victory Day, 28th Border Guard Day, last Sunday Chemistry Day
June 1st Sunday Soil Improvement Day, 2nd Sunday Light Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, last Sunday Chemistry Day
June 1st Sunday Soil Improvement Day, 2nd Sunday Light Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day, 3rd Sunday Medical Workers Day. Third Sunday Medical Workers' Day Last Sunday Youth Day, Last Saturday Inventors' Day
July First Sunday River and Sea Fleet Day, Second Sunday Fishermen's Day, Third Sunday Metallurgical Workers' Day, Fourth Sunday Commercial Workers' Day, Last Sunday Navy Day
August First Sunday Railroad Workers' Day, Second Sunday Construction Workers' Day, Third Sunday Aeronautics Day, last Sunday Miners' Day, second Saturday Sportsmen's Day
September, first Sunday Oil and Gas Workers' Day, second Sunday Tankers' Day, third Sunday Forestry Workers' Day, last holiday Infrastructure Workers' Day
October, first Sunday Teachers' Day, second Sunday Farmers' Day, third Sunday Food Workers' Day, last Sunday Road Transportation Workers' Day
November, first Sunday Railroad Workers' Day, second Sunday Construction Workers' Day, last Sunday Road Transportation Workers' Day
September, first Sunday Railroad Workers' Day, second Sunday
November 7-8 Commemoration of the Victory of the October Revolution, 10th Police Day, 19th Artillery and Second Artillery Day
December 22 Power Workers' Day
Russian holidays
January 1-2 New Year's Day, 7th Christmas Day
March 8 International Women's Day
May 1-2 International Labor Day, 9th Victory Day
March 8 International Women's Day
May 1-2 International Workers' Day, 9 Victory Day
May 1-2 International Labour Day, 9 Victory Day
May 1-2 International Labour Day, 9 Victory Day Victory Day
June 12 Independence Day (Presidential Election Day)
November 1-8 Constitution Day
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Russian Festivals
Traditional Russian festivals consist mainly of New Year's Day and festivals of the four seasons (Winter Sending, Birch Tree Festival, Harvest Festival, and Winter Welcoming). In addition to these, due to the long-standing influence of Orthodox Christianity as the state religion of Russia, a number of religious festivals have become an indispensable part of the traditional life of Russians.
New Year's Day (New Year's Day): The Russian New Year used to be celebrated on March 1 in the early spring, when a grand ceremony was held to worship the sun. the end of the 15th century, and by the Byzantine influence to change the date of the festival to September 1, until Peter the Great in 1699, when it was celebrated by the Russians. Until 1699, Peter the Great in accordance with the traditions and customs of Western European countries, the annual January 1 as the New Year. At midnight on New Year's Eve in 1669, Peter the Great lit the first salute on Red Square and ordered the inhabitants of Moscow to decorate their houses with pine, cypress, fir and other evergreens for good luck. So later fir trees became the main symbol of Christmas and New Year. The Orthodox Church celebrates New Year's Day and Christmas together because of the proximity of the festivals. New Year's celebrations include Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden, who give people gifts and congratulate them on the New Year. In 1930, the Soviet government officially made New Year a national holiday. On New Year's Day, all public **** places were dressed in festive costumes, in the city's main square towered tall, beautiful New Year's fir trees, and in the living room of every house there was a fir tree with all kinds of small gifts, tower-shaped fir trees symbolizing evergreen life. At 12 o'clock midnight, when the old is replaced by the new, the big autoharp in the Kremlin's Basque tower chimes loudly, and the radio and television spread the sound of the bells all over the country. The country celebrates, people open champagne and congratulate each other on the New Year. New Year's Day, which falls on January 14, according to the Russian calendar, is celebrated as usual, especially in the countryside. Winter Festival: The second most popular festival after the New Year is the Winter Festival. It is one of the festivals of the four seasons and takes place for a week at the end of February and the beginning of March. The predecessor of the winter festival was the spring plowing festival of the ancient Slavs. People believe that the winter and spring is the result of the victory of the god of spring, Yaliro, over the cold and darkness, so every year at the end of February and the beginning of March to hold a grand ceremony to send winter and welcome spring. The sun is worshipped by baking small, round, golden-colored pancakes, and at night, bonfires are lit and the statue of the Queen of Winter, which is made of straw, is burned. This is a celebration of the fact that after a long, hard winter, the bright sun has begun to bring warmth to the land. During the festival, large plow-shaped and harrow-shaped loaves of rye bread are eaten. On the first day of sowing, people went down to the ground with bread, salt and eggs, and when the oxen and horses plowed three furrows, they ate part of the bread and salt and fed the rest to the oxen and horses. The eggs are also buried in the earth to show that they are sacrificing to the earth and praying for blessings.
After the Orthodox Church came to Russia, it was unable to abolish this pagan folk festival, so it had to change the name of the spring plowing festival to Thanksgiving Meat Festival, which was scheduled for a week before the spring Lent. The church called this week meatless week or cheese week, because in this week people can still eat meat or dairy products, after this week, into Lent, people will not eat meat and dairy products, so called thank meat festival, meaning that before Lent to meat farewell. Thank meat festival lasts seven days, each day has its own name, celebrated in different ways. On Monday, the festival is celebrated to welcome the Spring Festival. Families fry round pancakes, which are a must for the festival, and eat them with fish roe and sour milk. Tuesday is the first day of the festival. People invite unmarried girls and boys from their families and friends to join in the fun and provide them with the opportunity to choose their favorite girls and boys. Wednesday is Feast Day. The mother-in-law invites her son-in-law to a feast. Thursday is Carnival Day. The celebration reaches its climax. People hold all kinds of revelry on the street, eating and drinking to their heart's content. Friday is the day of the new son-in-law's visit. The new son-in-law invites his mother-in-law and her family to eat pancakes. Saturday is Farewell Day. People sing and dance as the straw man, a symbol of the goddess of winter, is sent on a sled to be burned outside the village, and on this day the new daughter-in-law visits her husband's sisters. Sunday is the day of forgiveness. People visit friends and neighbors to ask for forgiveness for their faults. At the end of the 60's, the Soviet government changed this festival into the Winter Festival, also known as the Russian Winter Carnival. The ancient customs and religious significance of the festival were diluted. However, it is still an important festival for Russians. The round pancake, symbolizing the sun, is still a must-have food for the festival, and the circle dance is still the main form of folk dance in Russia. During the festival, costume parades are also held around the country, with colorful vehicles carrying people dressed up as the Goddess of Winter, the Three Warriors of Russia and other mythological characters, and people singing and dancing to say goodbye to the cold winter and welcome the warmth of spring. Birch Festival: The second festival of the four seasons is the Birch Festival, which is celebrated on June 24 every year according to the Russian calendar. The Birch Festival originates from the ancient summer solstice. The summer solstice was originally celebrated on June 22, when the sun was at its highest point in the sky, and the festival was colored by sun worship. In the countryside, when the summer is coming soon, farmers work hard in the spring, a little leisure, so to celebrate. Folk celebrations reflect the worship of fire and water. People dressed in festive costumes, head garlands, singing and dancing around the bonfire. Some people jumped over the bonfire or burned their old clothes to ward off evil spirits and strengthen their bodies to get rid of diseases. People also throw birch branches into the lake along with offerings to pray to the gods for a good harvest. Young girls will lighted candles on the flower crowns, put into the river, who's candle burns the longest, who is considered the happiest person in the future, they also follow the direction of the wreath floating divination of their own marriage. In ancient times, Russia over the summer solstice festival will also go to the forest to find two small birch trees in close proximity for sacrifice. In some places, it was customary to decorate a small birch with garlands and ribbons. Later the Orthodox Church combined the summer solstice with the Holy Trinity Sunday and changed the date to June 24, because the Orthodox Church commemorates the birth of John the Baptist on this day. During the festival churches are decorated with birch branches and congregations come to worship with birch branches in their hands. Folk also regard this day as a day of mourning for the dead, all go to the grave.
During the summer solstice is the grass and trees, the climate is pleasant season, people are in the outdoor celebrations, especially young people, so to the Soviet period of the summer solstice festival became the Soviet Youth Day. Birch trees were indispensable for the celebration of this day, so since 1964 it has been called Birch Festival, or "Russian Birch Festival". The birch tree has become a symbol of the Russian nation for a long time, and in the 11th-15th centuries many ancient Rus' documents were written on birch bark. Many Russian writers have described the birch tree with deep affection, and in the opinion of the Russians, the birch tree is so beautiful and upright. On the occasion of the Birch Festival, families decorate their rooms with birch branches, cornflowers and bells. During the festival there is also a gala, where the hostess is called "Little Birch" and there is a parade in costume, where the parade is surrounded by birches, so there are birches everywhere. Harvest Festival: Harvest Festival is the third festival of the Four Seasons and in the former Soviet Union it was called the Day of Agricultural Workers. Farmers attach great importance to this festival, leaving bunches of wheat in the fields, placing bread, cheese and salt in front of it, and worshipping the earth to thank it for its bounty. Winter Festival: Winter Festival is the last of the Four Seasons. The exact date of the festival depends on the time of the year when winter arrives in each region. The centerpiece of the festival is Mother Winter, who is honored with bread and salt.
January 1: Новогодний праздник ( Новый год ) New Year's Day
January 7: Рождество Христово Nativity of the Lord ( Orthodox holiday )
February 14: День Святого Валентина ( День влюблённых ) Saint Valentine's Day ( День влюблённых ). ) Saint Valentine's Day (Valentine's Day)
February 23: День защитников Отечества Patriotic Fighters' Day (also known as Men's Day in Russia)
March 8: Международный женский день March 8, Women's Day (an international holiday)
May 1: Праздник Весны и подных поддным поддным подтов). Весны и Труда May Day (International Day)
May 9: День Победы Victory Day (Commemoration of the victory in the Great Patriotic War)
June 6: День рождения А.С.Пушкина Pushkin's Birthday
June 12: День принятия дек ларации о государственном суверенитете Российской Федерации
( Day of the Declaration of National Sovereignty of the Russian Federation
June 22: День памяти защитников Отечества Day of Remembrance of the Defending Soldier
July 1: Праздник Петра ( деревенский праздник ) Peter's Day ( Rural Festival )
August 1: Праздник Ильи Ilya
September 1: День знаний Festival of Knowledge
November 7: День памяти о Велик ой Октябрьской революции 1917 года в России The anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917
December 12: День Конституции Российской Федерации Constitution Day of the Russian Federation