Unity Day in Russia commemorates the 1612 liberation of Moscow from Polish occupation and honors the unity of the Russian people. It symbolizes patriotism, national solidarity and the strength of coming together in defense of the homeland.

When is Unity Day?

Unity Day in Russia is celebrated on November 4 every year.

The following is the list of Unity Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Unity Day?

Unity Day commemorates one of the most dramatic and defining moments in Russian history, the end of the Time of Troubles. The Time of Troubles (1598–1613) was a period of political chaos, foreign intervention, famine, and civil war following the death of Tsar Fyodor I, the last ruler of the Rurik dynasty.

With the throne left vacant and Russia suffering from economic collapse and foreign invasions, multiple claimants attempted to seize power with foreign backing. During this instability, Polish–Lithuanian forces occupied Moscow in 1610, placing Russia under the threat of losing its sovereignty entirely.

The turning point came in 1611–1612, when Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and merchant Kuzma Minin from the city of Nizhny Novgorod organized a volunteer militia to liberate Moscow. This militia was not composed of royal troops but of ordinary citizens united by patriotism and faith.

On November 4, 1612 (October 22 in the Julian calendar), the people's army successfully stormed Moscow and expelled the Polish forces, marking the restoration of national independence. Soon after, in 1613, the National Assembly elected Mikhail Romanov as Tsar, founding the Romanov dynasty that would rule Russia for over 300 years.

In 1649, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich declared November 4 a national holiday known as the Day of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan, commemorating both the victory over foreign invaders and divine salvation.

The holiday continued to be observed in the Russian Empire until the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, after which the new Soviet authorities abolished religious and monarchic holidays.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia began a process of reclaiming historical and cultural symbols from its pre-revolutionary past.

In 2004, President Vladimir Putin officially reinstated November 4 as Unity Day.