Historians have been arguing up to this day about an exact date of driving the uninvited guests out of the Kremlin. However, they are at one in the opinion that not the military victory makes Russians remember this important period in their history. The common people and the nobility had united in the face of the foreign threat in the People’s Volunteer Corps under the command of citizen Kozma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky: this saved the state from strife, disintegration and destruction.

The Russian Orthodox Church has been marking for nearly four centuries November 4 as a holiday in honour of the Our Lady of Kazan icon which helped, according to a legend, volunteers. It was not only a church holiday before the 1917 October Revolution.

The Inter-Religious Council of the Russian Federation suggested late in 2004 to institute this day as a holiday which would remind Russians of traditions of unity. This initiative was backed by the majority of the State Duma. It was decided at the same time to give up the celebration of the anniversary of the October Revolution which was marked on November 7 for many years.

Although changes in the customary holiday November calendar were initially received by Russians in different ways, the ideology of the holiday turned to be understandable for most citizens of the country on the whole. The All-Russian Public Opinion Centre indicated that while nearly half of Russians treated negatively the new holiday three years ago, now – less than a third.

Incidentally, the very name – Day of People’s Unity as well as its history – lends a definite ringing to this holiday. This holiday reminds of age-old traditions of patriotism, accord and cohesion as well as involvement of every person in the destiny of the country. In other words, this “is a holiday of civil society”, as Russian President Vladimir Putin said on this day a year ago.

Definite traditions of holidaymaking have developed. While bells are ringing in all orthodox churches in the country, a gala reception is held in the Kremlin. Flowers are laid at the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in the Red Square. Authorities and non-governmental organisations encourage various “actions of good deeds”, selfless aid to veterans and low-income people, charity and donations.

This year Day of People’s Unity is marked for the first time at the heat of the general elections which will calmly pass into a presidential campaign in December. Most political parties plan this Sunday various events in public. Only Communists ignore in principle Day of People’s Unity. They prepare to mark the 90th anniversary of the 1917 Revolution on November 7.

In the meantime, organisations of various trends, including nationalists, received permissions to stage rallies and marches. The so-called Russian marches have become (God knows why) a peculiar “tradition” of this day.

On the eve of the holiday, the Inter-Religious Council of the Russian Federation called on all religious confessions and political forces to treat very carefully the topic of religious and racial relations and refrain from winning political points on multiplying hatred and wrath.

“Let the November 4 holiday become for all citizens of Russia not only a day of recollections of former martial and civil glory, but also a school of high civil responsibility,” says the council’s address.

If all people are to believe the experience of the country’s past and promptings of genetic memory, the formula of national success is simple. Putin said the following in his last year’s speech: “All of us are children of our country and its history; and this historic and genetic memory of people calls on us for unity and common responsibility for the destiny of the Fatherland as well as calls for joint creative efforts and unification of forces for the sake of Russia’s present and future.”

MOSCOW, November 4 (Itar-Tass)