Holidays in Belarus: description, history and features

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

Belarus was once part of a huge, ethnically contrasting state. As part of this state, national holidays were celebrated, demonstrations and large-scale celebrations were held.

Over time, everything has changed, Belarus is already living an independent life.

But how did such changes affect the country's holiday calendar?

A little about the country

Belarus gained its independence in the summer of 1991. A unitary form of government was established in it, and its permanent head of state, Alexander Lukashenko, still holds this high-ranking post.

The territorial neighbors of Belarus are the B altic countries - Latvia and Lithuania, Poland, as well as the Slavic lands of Russia and Ukraine.

The population of the country is Belarusians, in the vast majority, 83%, then Russians, Poles, Ukrainians. A small percentage are foreign citizens of different European countries.

Major holidays

The continuity of the Belarusian people with the countries of the former USSR influenced the fact that many holidays have been preserved on the territory of the state, which were once celebrated as part of the greatstates. They also include major holidays celebrated by most countries.

• January 1 - New Year. A distinctive feature is that in Belarus there are no long ten-day holidays dedicated to the celebration of the New Year and Christmas. Non-working days are 31 December and 1 January, as well as 7 January. All other days are working.
• January 7 - Christmas.
• March 8 - International Women's Day.
• May 1 - Peace, Spring and Labor Day.
• November 7 - October Revolution Day.

These days are officially considered days off.

National holidays

National holidays are "red" calendar dates that have important historical and social significance within the Republic of Belarus.

• March 15 - Constitution Day. The holiday originates on the day of the adoption of the main code of laws of the state - the Constitution, namely March 15, 1994.
• April 2 - the celebration of the unity of the peoples of Belarus and Russia. Perhaps, if we conduct a survey among the population, asking: “What is one of the main and significant holidays in Belarus?” - most people will name this particular holiday. On April 2, 1996, a significant event for the country took place - the signing in Moscow of the Treaty on the Community of Belarus and Russia, which was signed by the heads of two states - Yeltsin and Lukashenko.
• 2nd May Sunday is the day of the national flag and coat of arms, symbols of unity and independence of the country.
• July 3 is celebratedIndependence Day. This event is timed to 1944, when the Belarusian capital was completely liberated from enemy invaders. On this day, Belarusians remember the fallen liberators who sacrificed themselves for the sake of the prosperity of not only the nation, but of all mankind. The celebration is accompanied by a solemn procession along one of the main streets of Minsk.
• The night from 6 to 7 July is one of the national holidays of Belarus - Kupalle. On this holiday, Belarusians remember ancient national rituals, folk songs and dances, dance, swim in the river and, most importantly, jump over the fire. National holidays in Belarus are celebrated, accompanied by solemn demonstrations and processions.

Professional holidays of the country

As in Russia, holidays in Belarus can be dedicated to various kinds of professions. These days are not public holidays.

• January 5 is the holiday of social security workers.
• January 19 - Service Day of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
• The last Sunday of January is the Day of Science of the Republic of Belarus.
• January 25 - University Students Day.
• February 21 - Day of Land and Cartographic Specialists.
• February 23 - Defender of the Fatherland Day.
• March 4 is a date dedicated to honoring the police.
• Fourth Sunday in March - Day of housing and communal services.

Professional holidays in Belarus in April:

• The first Sunday in April is a date related to geologists.
• SecondApril Sunday is the day of the Air Defense Forces.
• April 8 - the holiday of employees of the military commissariats.

Holidays in May in Belarus:

• May 7 is Radio Day.
• The last Sunday in May is the professional holiday of chemists.

Among others:

• Second Sunday in June - light industry workers celebrate their day.
• The third Sunday in June is a date dedicated to medical workers.
• June 26 - Prosecutor's Day.
• June 30 is the date of workers' economic activities.
• The second Sunday in July is Tax Services Day.
• The third Sunday in July is called Metallurgy Workers' Day.
• July 25 is the holiday of firemen.
• Last Sunday in July - trade workers celebrate their day.
• The first Sunday of August - they celebrate the professional triumph of the railway workers.
• First Sunday in September - workers in the gas, fuel and oil industries celebrate their holiday.
• Second Sunday of September - Tankman's Day.
• September 20 is a public holiday of customs services, as well as Forestry Day.
• Last Sunday of September - Engineer's Day.
• First Sunday in October - Teacher's Day.

Along with the Russian holidays of military services, these celebrations also take place in Belarus. The dates of their celebration coincide with Russian dates.

Memorable dates

Every year residentsRepublics honor the memory of the victims of the Great Patriotic War, as well as those who died from other disasters.

• May 9 - the holiday of the Great Victory. This holiday in May in Belarus is also highly revered, as in Russia.
• The 9th day after Easter is called Radunitsa. At this time, it is customary to remember the dead. People visit cemeteries, clean graves.
• April 26 is the date of the Chernobyl disaster.
• On June 22, Belarusians honor and commemorate the victims of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.
• February 15 - a tribute to the memory of the soldiers-internationalists.

Orthodox and Catholic holidays

Belarusians, who respect the faith and honor Orthodox or Catholic holidays, never miss such great holidays as:

• Happy Easter;
• April 7 - Holy Mother of God Day;
• April 12 - Catholic Easter;
• December 25 - Catholics celebrate Christmas;
• January 19 - Epiphany;
• From February 21 and for 7 days Maslenitsa is celebrated.

This lists major church holidays. However, the Orthodox calendar presents many days of veneration of saints.

Do Belarusians have holidays?

Unlike Russia, where holidays are an excuse to take a day off once again, in Belarus they look at it a little differently.

For example, if a holiday coincides with a weekend - Saturday or Sunday, then the nextafter them, the weekday is a working day, and the day off is not transferred to it.

Or, if the holiday fell in the middle of the working week, then the weekdays following the holiday are turned into non-working days, but on the condition that they will be worked out on Saturday of the next week.

May holidays in Belarus, as well as New Year celebrations, operate on the same principle.