What does Russia celebrate on July 8 and why?
In 2022, Russia announced a new official holiday honoring family values. So, four years on, how is it celebrated and why was this particular date chosen?
Every year on July 8, Russia celebrates the ‘Day of Family, Love and Fidelity’. The date was not chosen by chance, as it coincides with the Orthodox feast day of Saints Peter and Fevronia.
This couple is considered a ‘Russian Romeo and Juliet’ and a model of true love and self-sacrifice. Prince Peter marries commoner Fevronia, after she cures him of a deadly disease. They live long and happily and die on the same day. Moreover, their bodies, against the will of the priests, miraculously even end up in the same coffin (Read their full story here).
On this day, civil registry offices in Russia extend their working hours and typically register a record number of marriages. Meanwhile, couples who have been married for more than 25 years are awarded the ‘For Love and Fidelity’ medal.
All-Russia wedding festival dedicated to the Day of Family, Love and Fidelity
Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without wedding festivals, public festivities, exhibitions and concerts! This is how Russia celebrates the ‘Day of Family, Love and Fidelity’!
In 2026, a grand immersive show will take place in the Moscow Kremlin, teleporting audiences back to the era of Saints Peter and Fevronia.
