The great Patriotic war of 1941−1945 is considered the largest armed conflict in human history. On a huge front, which stretched from the Black sea to the Barents sea, both sides fought about 12 million people were used from 5 to 20 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery installations, from 150 to 320 thousand guns and mortars, from 7 to 19 thousand aircraft. Such a huge scale of hostilities and the concentration of such large masses of military equipment the history of wars did not know.

To fight the invaders stood up to everything: the elderly, adults and children. People of all Nations and nationalities, who worked at the front and in the rear, United by one goal — to survive and win. And they survived and won. The fascist troops were defeated at Moscow, Stalingrad and Leningrad, the Caucasus, the Kursk bulge, Belarus… thus the war machine of fascism was defeated, and with it collapsed and the Nazi third Reich, the political system of Nazi Germany. The war lasted for nearly four years and tragedy are included in every Soviet family, ended with the victory of the Soviet Union.

May 8, 1945 was signed the act of unconditional surrender of Germany. May 9 was proclaimed Victory day, to commemorate the victorious conclusion of the great Patriotic war.

However, despite the fact that the holiday was introduced in 1945 and since 1947 it is actually a long time was not marked and was a work day for the first time, he was widely celebrated in the USSR only 20 years later. In the same anniversary 1965 the Victory Day became again non-functional. After the collapse of the USSR some time parades in the Victory Day was conducted, has renewed this ritual in 1995. Then in Moscow were two of the parade on the red square (on foot) and on Poklonnaya hill (with troops and military equipment). Since then parades on red square annually — however, now without military equipment. Well, the first Victory Parade on 24 June 1945 at red square in Moscow. The parade was attended by the first Deputy Commissar of defense and Deputy Supreme commander, the commander 1-gubalowskie front Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. In the Victory day meetings of veterans, celebrations and concerts. To the monuments of military glory, memorials, the mass graves are assigned wreaths and flowers, are the honorary guards. Every year on this day in the hero cities is festive artillery salute.

May 9 is not only the celebration of the victory of the Soviet people in the great Patriotic war of 1941−1945. 9 may is a Day of remembrance of the chiefs and warriors killed on the battlefield. In churches and temples of Russia, this day held a memorial service.

From the beginning of the great Patriotic war in Moscow churches, and then the whole country started to be performed special prayers for the gift of victory over the enemy, blagopoluchniy our soldiers, for the repose of those who put their lives on the altar of the coming Victory.

The definition of the Council of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, 29 November — 4 December 1994, is set to make in the may 9 Victory Day, a special annual commemoration of the dead warriors for the Faith, the Fatherland and the people laid down their lives, that is all suffered in the years of the great Patriotic war of 1941−1945. So two military memorial days (Demetrius Saturday and the day of the beheading of John the Baptist) was gathered the third — 9th of may — Victory Day, the Day of remembrance of all soldiers who gave their lives in sacrifice so that we could live in a free country and under a peaceful sky.

Used materials from the website www.russian-holidays.ru.