Today is Belarusian Military Glory Day (Photo)

On September 8 Belarus celebrates one of its most important and legendary holidays, the Day of Belarusian Military Glory.

This holiday reminds about the historical date, the victory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s troops over troops of Moscow principality in the battle on September 8, 1514 near the town of Vorsha (Orsha). The great battle was a victorious battle in this yet another war with Moscow principality, when Muscovite forces tried to occupy the territory of Belarus. One of the main heroes of the Vorsha battle was of Hetman Kanstantsin Astrozhski. He was in command of the 30,000 troops which defeated more than 80,000 troops of Moscow principality.

On that day almost 500 years ago, in 1514, less than 30,000 troops of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Kingdom of Poland under the command of Hetman Kanstantsin Astrozhski, beat good and proper defeated the Muscovite forces (more than 80,000 troops of Moscow principality).

Only in the end of the 1980ies celebration of the Belarusian Military Glory Day started. And in 1992 on the anniversary of the great battle Belarusian officers solemnly took an oath to their native country and nation in Minsk on Independence Square. On September 8, 1992 in Minsk 12 officers and 3,000 reserve soldiers took an oath. Later participants of that ceremony were under pressure of the authorities, but in a short time all military units took an oath of loyalty to Belarus.

Every year solemn events take place in Minsk, and a festival “Battle of Vorsha” is taking place on Krapiuna field (near the Rivers of Dnieper and Krapiuna). Prominent Belarusian writers, artists, brads, music bands and knight clubs are taking part in the festival.

Police seized white-red-white flags at Vorsha festival

On September 6-7 near the village of Hatskaushchyna in Krapiuna Field the annual festival “Battle of Vorsha -2008” was held. Police was present at the festival. The commander of Vorsha regional police department prohibited to raise white-red-white flags to participants.

Policemen tried to find the organizer of the event, in order to charge them with “use of unregistered symbols”. One flag was seized by policemen, but theydidn’t seize the largest flag which decorated the stage, Radio Svabod ainfroms.

For the first time the festival was held 17 years ago, and was held 15 times since then. There have been several years when the festival was cancelled because of inauspicious weather or other reasons.

But last year there was the first attempt of the regime to prohibit the event. A police cordon was placed on the scene before the festival; policemen explained that bombs and explosives had been found on the field. However, there was no special equipment or experts who took care of the explosives, but reinforced police patrols were found there. Policemen who had been taken from the nearest district hastily, ordered people with backpacks and guitars to return home.

Despite of the attempts to thwart the event, it had taken place nevertheless. But it was held in another place, not far from the traditional one, with less viewers and singers, but some activists were detained, and other had to go away.

Almost all well-known Belarusian authors performed at “The Battle of Vorsha” festival in different years: Andrei Melnikau, Viktar Shalkevich, Ales kamotski, Zmitser Sidarovich and “Kamelot” band, Lera Som, Zmitser Bartosik, Andrei Khadanovich, Lana medzich, Tatsyana Barysi, “Vodar Susvetu” band, Anatol Kudlasevich and many others.

Over the last year many times opinions were herd that the festival “The battle of Vorsha” won’t renew after the police disband, that people won’t gather once again. However, people arrived, though this year the festival didn’t have so many guests. About 150 listeners arrived to listen to musicians.

As said by Yury Koptsik, one of the founders of the bard festival, those who gathered in Krapiuna Field this year, managed to continue this festival and prove that it won’t be possible to stop it.

Belarusian Military Glory Day in Warsaw, September 7, 2008

Belarusian Military Glory Day in Warsaw, September 7, 2008

Photo by Radio Svaboda