With a grand reverence befitting the occasion the Cultural Capital will, on May 9th, honour the 73rd Anniversary of victory in the Second World War. On this day a grandiose parade will pass through Palace Square, being followed by the march of the “Immortal Regiment”, before the day’s celebrations culminate in a dazzling Fireworks display.
The horrors of the Second World War (known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War) are now in the past but they are not forgotten. The heroic struggle of Soviet soldiers and of the Soviet People as a whole serves as a stirring example of courage and patriotism for younger generations in Russian society. Every anniversary of this Great Victory is however, a tearful one; as time passes fewer and fewer of those who fought for the peace we now enjoy remain with us, although their names will live on eternally in our history.
On the day of the celebrations, Palace square will place host to a traditional ceremonial parade by currently serving soldiers, which will also feature modern military hardware including the one raised from the bottom of the Barents Sea and the restored tank Sherman. For the half-day entrance to the square will be limited to holders of special invitational tickets. Those not lucky enough to receive such tickets can, however, watch the parade arrive to Palace Square along Nevsky Prospekt.
In St. Petersburg, as in many other Russian Cities on this day, there will be a march by members of the ‘Immortal Regiment’. This solemn procession will be made up of descendants of those who fought in the war, who will carry aloft photographs of their relatives in their memory.
In honour of May 9th volunteers will be also handing out over one and a half million St. George’s ribbons. This orange and black stripped ribbon was, in the 18th and 19th Centuries, given to soldiers as a reward for performing heroic deeds on the battlefield. Later, in the 20thCentury, it became a symbol of victory over fascism. The tradition of handing out these ribbons for free appeared 10 years ago and now these ribbons have become so popular that you can see them not just around the time of the May 9th celebrations but at all other times year as well. Often people wear them tied to bags or display them on their cars.
From May 1st to 9th St Petersburg will be decorated with giant banners in the colours of these ribbons and patriotic music from the time of the war will play on streets across the city. At the same time museums will display exhibitions and theatres will run plays appropriate to the celebration’s theme, whilst on the city’s squares it will be possible to watch celebratory concerts and other patriotic demonstrations. Of particular interest will be the military history festival “Spring of Victory – 2017” which will take place in St Petersburg’s 300th Anniversary park.
As is traditional, this year’s celebrations will end with an extravagant, extraordinarily colourful fireworks display which starts at 10pm.
