Both holidays are dedicated to the courage and courage that the warriors-defenders who defended the freedom and independence of Ukraine showed throughout the years.
Day of Ukrainian Cossacks and Day of Defenders and Defenders of Ukraine / Photo: Collage: Today
On October 14, Ukraine celebrates several important and significant dates for the country. On this day, two celebrations dedicated to the heroism and courage of Ukrainian soldiers are timed to the great church holiday of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Firstly, this is the Day of the Ukrainian Cossacks, and secondly, the Day of the Defenders and Defenders of Ukraine, which received its updated name this summer, and previously only honored male soldiers.
What are remarkable about these memorable dates, what is their history, what is the difference between the holidays, read our article.
Day of the Ukrainian Cossacks: the history of the holiday
Cossacks have long been called members of self-governing military, and later – territorial communities. They were also called free people by the will of God and soldiers of Christ
.
Cossacks appeared on the territory of Ukraine in the XVI-XVII centuries
… These soldiers considered their main mission to be the protection of the Ukrainian lands from the Tatar conquerors, the protection of trade routes and state borders.
Since ancient times, the church holiday of the Intercession was in high esteem among the Zaporozhye Cossacks. They venerated the Mother of God as their patroness and intercessor
, and the icon depicting the Mother of God saved their lives in battles many times. Therefore, the Ukrainian Cossacks usually elected their new elders on the day of the celebration of the Intercession, October 14.
In 1999, a new holiday was established at the official level by a presidential decree in Ukraine on this day – Day of Ukrainian Cossacks
, which was timed to coincide with the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Day of defenders and defenders of Ukraine: the history of the holiday
Much later, since 2014
, in Ukraine, according to the presidential decree, a holiday dedicated to the defenders of the country began to be celebrated on the same day.
In order to de-communize and abandon Soviet holidays, it was postponed from February 23. And instead of the Defender of the Fatherland Day, it received a new name – Defender of Ukraine Day. The next year, in March 2015, the day officially became a day off
.
7 years later, summer 2021
, this holiday has been renamed the Day of Defenders and Defenders of Ukraine in order to honor a large number of women who serve for the benefit of the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine on an equal basis with men.
Watch a video about women who defend our country:
Previously, we published a detailed calendar of weekends and holidays in October 2021 in Ukraine.
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