Radonitsa, celebrated this year on April 21, is a church holiday in Russia, and it falls on the ninth day after Easter. In addition, on this day in Russia celebrate the recently introduced professional holidays - the Day of local authorities and the Day of the municipal employee.
How Believers Celebrate Radonitsa
Radonitsa - the day when the commemoration of the dead is performed. Relatives and friends come to the cemetery to put the graves in order after winter and to remember loved ones. According to custom, those who come bring with them colored eggs and Easter treats for a memorial meal. Part of the food is supposed to be given to the poor to remember the souls of the deceased. Thus, the close ones seem to communicate with the departed and support the belief that, even after death, a person remains alive in Christ. The Orthodox Church does not welcome the custom of leaving food on the grave, considering it an echo of paganism. This is especially true for church consecrated products. It is also considered sinful to remember the deceased in the cemetery with alcohol.
History of the commemoration of the dead
Celebrated this year on April 21 , a holiday in Russia - Radonitsa - is an ancient one that came to us from Slavic ancestors. Nevertheless, the Orthodox Church accepted him. During the Easter holidays, in the days of the Holy Week and the Holy Week, no requiem is served according to the church charter. The usual commemoration of the departed is permitted by the church, starting on Monday. Fomina week - Antipasa - the first Sunday following the Easter of Christ (in church tradition, the word "week" means Sunday).
The name Antipasa does not mean opposition, but only a repetition of the past holiday a week later. Fomin’s day is called in memory of the second appearance of Jesus Christ to the apostles when Thomas who saw him believed in the resurrection and His divine essence. In modern tradition, this name is the whole week following the Easter.
The spring folk holiday, Red Hill, is also timed to Fomin's Day. On this day, young people gathered in villages in some elevated place, already freed from snow, and started celebrations: they sang songs, danced, danced round dances, arranged games. It was customary to play weddings and get married on Red Hill. In the churches after Lent, the sacrament of wedding again took place.
The holiday in Russia, celebrated by Orthodox believers on April 21, is a day off only in some regions of the country. The decision to introduce a day off is made at the local level. Officially in Russia, the day of the celebration of Radonitsa is a working day.
Professional holiday
The holiday celebrated on April 21 in Russia - Day of Local Self-Government - was legalized by the President of Russia in 2012.
The choice of dates for celebrations in honor of the activities of such a significant state institution in the life of Russians is not accidental. In 1785, on this day, Empress Catherine the Second signed the City Regulation - a letter defining the rights of the population of cities of the Russian Empire.
The main function of the City Regulation is to assign residents of the cities of Russia a single estate status, regardless of the professional activities of citizens. The document includes 178 articles and a manifesto. When drawing up the letter, information contained in such important state documents operating in
Russia as the Shop Charter and the Deanery Charter, as well as some samples of legislative documents of other states, were taken into account. The letter of merit established the law on city self-government. The emergence of the document was led by the understanding that the unified management of the country does not give optimal results on the ground and that it is necessary to create self-government bodies.
In the further development of local self-government, several significant stages can be noted.
During the reign of Alexander II, elective district zemstvo and provincial assemblies arose, and then the councils and dumas received the status of bodies of city self-government.
In 1917, at the end of the February Revolution, the Provisional Government of Russia attempted to reform the activities of self-government bodies. The reconstruction of volost zemstvos with a change in the rights of local self-government began. The October Revolution did not allow the completion of the reforms.
The Bolsheviks replaced the bodies of zemstvo and city self-government with a system of councils, which led to a partial loss of independence and independence. All actions of the Soviets took place under the control of the Communist Party. The 1936 Constitution consolidated the centralization of the leadership system. Until the end of the 80s, stagnation was observed in the field of local self-government.
Modern development of local government
The local self-government reform carried out in the 1990s and the adoption of relevant laws were reflected in the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation. From this time begins a new stage in the development and legal regulation of self-government. Today, work continues to improve the work of bodies, expand the financial and business independence of municipalities.
April 21 - a holiday in Russia for employees of self-government bodies
Municipal staff provides leadership and coordination on the ground. They are dedicated to the holiday celebrated on April 21 in Russia - the day of the municipal employee. The competence of employees of municipal organizations includes the solution of local budget issues , the establishment and control of taxes and fees, the development and adoption of rules and programs for the development of local municipalities. Municipal workers are not civil servants, the election of a representative for a position in the self-government bodies takes place in elections in which residents of the district take part.
How are celebrations held
April 21, a holiday in Russia for self-government workers, is a working day. Celebrations are held in cities, heads of local self-government bodies and members of the city administration congratulate municipal servants, top government officials send them official congratulations.