Celebration of the National Unity Day has started in the regions of Russia’s Far East.

In the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk the representatives of regional authorities, the Orthodox Church and the city residents took part in a solemn procession with the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, a TASS correspondent reported. Despite the cool and cloudy weather, several hundreds of people took part in the procession, including the Acting Governor of the Sakhalin Region, Vera Shcherbina.

Also a sacred procession honoring the Mother of God of Kazan was held in the city of Chita of the Transbaikal region. In that city the icon is not only one of the symbols of the holiday, the Cathedral of the Chita eparchy is dedicated to it.

Russia’s Kamchatka region was one of the first in the country to celebrate the Unity Day. On Sunday at noon several hundreds of citizens gathered at the gala concert on the main square of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

On Sunday, Russia celebrates the National Unity Day. This is one of the youngest national holidays. It was established in 2005 replacing the Day of Consent and Reconciliation, which had been celebrated on November 7 (formerly Revolution Day) since 1996. It marks the events of 1612 when people’s militias led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from Polish invaders.

Historically, the holiday marks the end of the Time of Troubles (1598-1613), which comprises the years of interregnum, the Polish-Muscovite War and a deep social and economic crisis, and symbolizes the unity of people and their ability to unite during the difficult time.

The National Unity Day is also celebration in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. The Kazan Icon was the main shrine of the Minin and Pozharsky militias.