&host=www.rt.com&uri=/news/moscow-fireworks-fatherland-day-061/&via=1.1 204.160.103.23:80 (Footprint 4.8/FPMCP)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Fireworks for the Fatherland (VIDEO)
Published: 23 February, 2012, 23:37
TAGS: Russia, Thrills&Spills, Holiday, History
Colorful bursts of light have filled the sky of the Russian capital as a massive fireworks display marked Defender of the Fatherland Day.
Thirty volleys from 72 firework installations accompanied by 18 artillery shells set the night alight in Moscow at 9:00 pm local time on Russia’s most manly of holidays.
The February 23 Defender of the Fatherland Day pays tribute to all those living and dead who have or continue to serve in Russia’s armed forces.
All across the country, a series of processions, parades and concerts have been held to mark the solemn occasion.
Earlier in the morning, Russian leaders and members of the Federal Assembly of Russia laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin wall, which is dedicated to all those who lost their lives during the World War II.
Defender of the Fatherland Day was first celebrated in 1922 as Red Army Day. In 1949, it was renamed Soviet Army and Navy Day, which was later changed to its current name after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Informally, it is also celebrated as a more general ‘Men’s day.’
23.02, 23:00
65 comments
Koran burning: Taliban calls for revenge as Obama apologizesThe Taliban is urging Afghans to attack Western military bases in revenge for the recent burning of copies of the Koran. President Barack Obama has officially apologized for the incident as more people die in anti-American violence. |
24.02, 03:53
18 comments
‘US agenda in Middle East is very obvious’The pressure is ramping up on the Syrian regime as calls for a peacekeeping force to get involved in the crisis intensify. But retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski says such missions hide another agenda. Syria unrest |
Well, родина/rodena is motherland, the commonly used term in Russian, but the holiday is actually called День защитника Отечества/Dyen Zashetniki Otechestva, which does translate as The Defenders of the Fatherland. Though few know why they decided to use the term fatherland instead of motherland when renaming this holiday after the Soviet Collapse.
Bezdomny: I am with you on this and many thanks four clarification. Russia is known for the big and strong Mother figure who urges her son to defend her. Sow what happened to The Motherland? How did the image of the Russian soldier calling out for the Motherland – charging in the battlefield shouting ura become sinter Germanic Fatherland? Motherland in Russia means fertility, prosperity, peace and spirituality. So why the Germanizing of the Russia’s relation to the strong Mother figure?