November, 4th. A Strange State Holiday

11.04. Russia is celebrating the Day of People's Unity. It's a state holiday, and has been for several years by now. But it turns out that 2/3 of the population of Russian Federation have no idea what exactly we are celebrating on this day! Although, this holiday has an interesting history, it's one of my favourites ))
So, the holiday. 1612. The Time of Troubles, and a war between Poland+Lithuania and Russia. Polish-Lithuanian invadors were already in Moscow. Minin and Pozharsky gathered a people's volunteer army and entered Moscow at the end of October (old style). On the 1st of November prince Pozharskiy entered Kitay-Gorod with the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. It was believed to be a miracle-working icon.  He swore that if he wins he would build a temple for the icon. And he won the battle for Moscow, and the war.
That was the end of the war, and of the Times of Troubles, and at that time the Romanovs came to the throne.
In 1649 this day was announced a state holiday and was celebrated until 1917.
Then it was cancelled, and Soviet Union celebrated the Day of the Great October Socialist Revolution on November, 7th instead.
In 2004 religious authorities suggested to cancel the revolution day (since Russia wasn't a communist country any more) and bring back the Our Lady of Kazan day.
There was a lot or argument in the society about it. Because the communist half of the population didn't want it, and the other half didn't want the Revolution day
So Russian government renamed November, 7th into the Day of Agreement and Conciliation. This might seem a good compromise, but in fact it wasn't. 63% of Russian population were upset about abolishing the Revolution Day. The Day of Agreement and Conciliation was still a state holiday, but no one wanted to celebrate it, everybody was confused. Old communists were mad at renaming, and non-communists were mad at the day.
Our government did it's best to popularize the holiday, but nothing worked. So in 2006 they renamed it again and moved back to the 4th of November. So now it is the Day of People's Unity. But about a half of Russian people still disapprove of the cancellation of Nov, 7th. 30% of people still don't know what on earth we are celebrating on the 4th of November. And only about 45% are going to celebrate whatever it is.
Now we have big official celebrations all over the country dedicated to this day, concerts on TV, all kinds of TV and radio programs tell people about the history of this day (it had been a state holiday for almost 300 years!). Hopefully it will work!
Interesting, isn't it? ))

P.S. I took an effort and asked all the members of my own family about this holiday. My mom (75 years old) and all her friends are really upset and are going to celebrate the former Revolution Day on Nov, 7th. My brothers (40-50 years old) have a vague notion of what the Nov, 4th is. My nephew (20) doesn't care. But all my current Japanese students are perfectly informed! And so are you!

Cheers,
Yulia K.