On November 4, 2026, on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and National Unity Day, solemn divine services and commemorative events dedicated to the events of 1612 and the feat of the people's militia led by Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky were held in Nizhny Novgorod.
The festive Divine Liturgy at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral was led by Metropolitan George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas. His Eminence was co-served by the hierarchs of the Nizhny Novgorod Archdiocese and the clergy of the diocese. Parishioners, representatives of public organizations, teachers and students of Orthodox educational institutions prayed during the service.
After the Liturgy, Metropolitan George glorified the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and congratulated the faithful on the holiday.
A meeting with representatives of traditional religious communities of the Nizhny Novgorod region took place at the bishop's residence. It was attended by Orthodox bishops, representatives of the Muslim and Jewish communities, as well as government authorities.
In the afternoon, the memory of Kuzma Minin, one of the leaders of the people's militia of 1612, was honored in the Mikhailo-Archangel Cathedral of the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. Metropolitan George, the head of Nizhny Novgorod, Yuri Shalabaev, representatives of the clergy, authorities and traditional faiths laid flowers at the grave of the national hero.
Then there was a citywide procession with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The march began at the monument to the founders of Nizhny Novgorod, the Blessed Prince George Vsevolodovich and St. Simon, and went to the monument to Minin and Pozharsky on National Unity Square.
The procession was led by Metropolitan George. It was attended by clergy, parishioners of Nizhny Novgorod churches, representatives of government, public organizations, Cossacks, pupils of theological schools and the cadet corps.
On the way, the participants of the march stopped at the Kazan Temple, where they laid flowers at the monument to the Holy Martyr Patriarch Hermogenes, who played an important role in uniting the people for the liberation of the Fatherland during the Time of Troubles.
The procession was accompanied by the ringing of city churches. A solemn rally was held at the National Unity Square.
The celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on November 4 is historically associated with the liberation of Moscow by the People's Militia in 1612. The Kazan icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary accompanied the militia, and the prayer address to the Mother of God became an important part of the spiritual memory of these events.
Since 2005, November 4 has been a national holiday in Russia, National Unity Day, which recalls the importance of national unity, loyalty to the Fatherland and the preservation of historical memory.
Based on the materials of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese.
Photo: Gleb Pushmenkov.