Brief History of St. Tatiana Feast Day in Russia – Tatiana Day or in Russian called Татьянин день is a religious holiday in Russia. This holiday falls on January 25 when viewed according to the Gregorian calendar and January 12 when viewed according to Julian. Tatiana Day is also designated as Russian Student Day because it coincides with the end of the first period of the traditional academic year. The date is also the end of the winter exam period with a two-week winter break.
Origin of the name Tatiana
The name Tatiana on Tatiana Day comes from a Christian martit from Rome named Saint Tatiana. The martyr lived in the third century when Emperor Alexander Severus was in power. Saint Tatiana who has the full name of Tatiana Prokopevna Egorova was born on January 15, 1879. Hari Tatiana was set in honor of Saint Tatiana who became a symbol of strong women in Russia.
Life of Saint Tatiana
Saint Tatiana has a life filled with various miracles, frightening feelings, and astonishing feelings. However, behind it all there are two important points of Saint Tatiana’s life, namely concerning his testimony as a martyr regarding faith in Christ and worldly podvig (exploitation of heriok).
Saint Tatiana was born to a Roman noble family consisting of secret Christians. The path of Saint Tatiana’s life since childhood is always consistent. Saint Tatiana always refused to marry and devoted herself only to church services that always fasted, prayed, became a nurse for those who were sick, and helped people who were in trouble.
Being the second child, Saint Tatiana has a strong nature and strong ambition. Saint Tatiana is the most dominant child of all royal children. Being the child closest to his mother and a favorite for his father. However, there is no arrogant nature of him. Saint Tatiana is always willing to take a walk with her father, and read a book with her mother. All the traits in Saint Tatiana make Saint Tatiana have a great order and sense of responsibility in her life.
In 1896, Saint Tatiana entered the Kazan-Glovinsky Monastery and lived for almost 30 years. Saint Tatiana lived there until Kazan-Glovinsky Monastery was closed. After the monastery was closed, Saint Tatiana returned home and lived with her sister. Then in 1937, a young community namely Kuznetsov, provided information about Saint Tatiana to the authorities. They accused him of involvement in the manufacture of handicrafts and blankets, received many people including “monastic hearings”, established intimacy with high-ranking scholars, and a large accusation of keeping years of gold reserves collected to help Tsar Nicholas.
All of his devotion and faith made Saint Tatiana arrested and tortured for a long time. Then Saint Tatiana was sentenced to death. The death sentence was carried out in Moscow by the NKVD troik. Saint Tatiana shoots at the Butovo shooting range outside Moscow. After the death sentence was committed, Saint Tatiana was buried en masse without a sign on 14 September 1937. The life of Saint Tatiana ended in the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus. All these things make Saint Tatiana given the crown of martyrdom by the Savior.
Construction of Moscow State University and Saint Tatiana Church
Hundreds of years ago, precisely in 1755, an empress in Russia at the time, Empress Elizabeth agreed to sign a request to build a state university in Moscow, cities in Russia that has lots of festivals. The university became the first public university in Moscow, cities in Russia that has lots of festivals. At that time Shuvalov was the Russian Minister of Education. Then, after the university was completed, a church called Saint Tatiana was established on the campus. On January 25, Saint Tatiana Church began opening traditional services. Traditional services are opened with speeches and gifts. The Russian Orthodox Church has designated Saint Tatiana as a saint who protects all students in Russia. In addition to Hari Tatiana, the Russian Orthodox Church also established a “day” dedicated to church saints in Russia.
Past Tatiana Day Celebration
When the Tatiana Day was established, Tatiana Day was only celebrated by students from wealthy families. The celebration began with a single inauguration ceremony at Moscow State University and continued with their respective programs of eating in the most luxurious restaurants. At that time there will be various gourmet foods, champagne fountains and wine that form the river. The meal made Moscow City, cities in Russia that has lots of festivals, turn into a street festival. The activity at Tatiana Day, most interesting winter festival in Russia, made Tatiana Day a place to show off their social status.
Today’s Tatiana Day Celebration
Today, as the number of universities increases and the student population increases and becomes more diverse, each student from different families begins to find other ways to celebrate Tatiana Day, most interesting winter festival in Russia. Until finally Hari Tatiana was no longer celebrated by students from wealthy families. Activities to celebrate Tatiana Day are more diverse, with parties on campus or small pubs by playing open-air games such as snowballs, skating, and drinking hot and alcoholic drinks. In addition there are also various performances and dances that can be witnessed by the general public.
For you students from Russia and want to experience the celebration of Tatiana Day in Russia, here are some terms or words that you must understand:
- Ученик (uchenik) – “Student” [masc.]
- Январь (yanvar ‘) -” January “
- Общежитие (apshchezhytiye) – “Dormitory”
- Университет (universitet) – “University”
- Студент (student) – “Student University”
- Студентка (studentka) – “University students” [female]
- День российского студенчества (Den ‘rassiyskava studenchestva) – “Russian Student Day”
- Вечеринка (vecherinka) – “Party”
- Выходной (vykhadnoy) – “Holiday”
- 25 января (25 Yanvarya) – “January 25”
- Татьянин день (Tat’yanin den ’) -” Tatiana Day “
- Однокурсник (adnakursnik) – “Classmate” [masc.]
- Oднокурсница (adnakursnitsa) – “Classmate” [fem.]
So much brief history of St. Tatiana Feast Day in Russia. All this information is very important for you to understand the culture in Russia. Russia always has a unique and diverse culture.