Selected Russian Holidays Quiz | Seasonal

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Although the Russians adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918, the Russian Orthodox Church has continued to use the Julian calendar. On what date was the Old New Year (or the Orthodox New Year) holiday celebrated in 2013?

Answer: 14th January

In 2013 there was a difference of 13 days between the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The Russians usually get holidays for New Year under both the Gregorian and Julian calendars. The Orthodox Christmas Day comes seven days earlier than the New Year (as does the Gregorian equivalent) and was celebrated on 7 January under the Julian calendar.

2. Bearing in mind that this took place in 1917 when the Julian calendar was still being used, on what day was the October Revolution celebrated?

Answer: 7th November

A bit of a trick question, perhaps. The initial armed insurrection in Petrograd (then the Imperial capital of Russia, now modern day Saint Petersburg) took place on 25th October under the Julian calendar. This is actually 7th November by the Gregorian calendar and was the date of the celebration.

It was not an official holiday in 2013 although still celebrated. Similarly, 7th March (by the Gregorian calendar) was the date used to celebrate the February Revolution of 1917. This was the date of a workers' strike at the largest factory in Petrograd, which happened on 22nd February by the Julian calendar.

3. In 2013, the 9th May was the day celebrating the end of World War Two in Russia. What is the day called by the Russians?

Answer: Victory Day

The German capitulation to the Allies was first signed in Reims on 7th May 1945, effective on 8th May. The 8th May 1945 is known as V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day). At the insistence of Stalin (leader of the USSR at the time), a second ceremony took place in Berlin late on 8th May 1945, which was early morning on 9th May in Moscow. During the existence of the USSR, large military parades in Moscow on this day were the norm. Defender of the Fatherland Day takes place on 23rd February and celebrates military achievements, although there is no historical significance for the date chosen.

4. The world's first human space flight in 1961 has been celebrated by a holiday on 12th April since then. What is the name of the day in Russia?

Answer: Cosmonautics Day

Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first person to go around the world in a space-flight, so winning the 'space race' for the Soviet Union. American astronaut Alan Shepard completed a suborbital space flight less than a month later. Fifty years later, the United Nations General Assembly declared the 12th April to be the International Day of Human Space Flight.

5. In 2006, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia's most urgent problem was its birth rate. The region of Ulyanovsk embraced this problem and created a holiday, held on 12th September each year. What's it called?

Answer: Day of Conception

Russia, largest country in the world by area, had a shrinking population of around 143 million in 2006. With time off work in order to ... well ... try and procreate, prizes were awarded to those giving birth on the following 12th June, which coincidentally is another holiday, namely Russia Day. The population started rising again in 2009. The Day of Conception is also known as Procreation Day.

6. Recalling the heroics of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky in 1612 when they led an uprising in Moscow against Polish-Lithuanian occupation forces and, more generally, the ending of the turmoil of those Tsar-less times, what was the name given to this 4th November holiday?

Answer: Unity Day

This holiday was originally established in 1649 but was replaced by the Bolsheviks in 1917 with the 7th November holiday commemorating the October Revolution. The Russian Parliament removed the 7th November public holiday in 2005 and reinstated the 4th November public holiday, calling it Unity Day.

It was intended to be a day of tolerance between the various religious and ethnic groups in the Russian Federation. The day coincides with the feast day of Our Lady of Kazan, celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church.

7. A religious holiday, said to be named for John the Baptist, is celebrated in Russia on 7th July. The Russian name for the holiday could be considered a translation of his name. What is the name of the holiday?

Answer: Ivan Kupala Day

'Ivan' is the equivalent of 'John' and 'kupala' is related to the Slavic word for 'bathing'. A number of scholars have suggested that this was originally a pagan fertility and purification celebration, which was adopted by the Orthodox Church. It has connections to the summer solstice and the name Kupala has the same root as Cupid, the Roman god of love. Kupala is also a Slavic mythological goddess. An alternative name for the holiday is Kupala Night.

These days the holiday typically features bonfires and pranks involving water.

8. In Eastern Europe, Alexander Popov is often credited with being the inventor of radio. A holiday, known as Radio Day (or Communications Workers' Day), was introduced in Russia during 1945 to mark the 50th anniversary. The 50th anniversary of what?

Answer: First public demonstration of radio by Popov

Popov carried out his demonstration on 7th May 1895 and so the 7th May was chosen for the holiday. He was developing his device as a means of detecting thunder storms, although he was aware of other potential uses. Various others were working on practical applications for radio devices around the same time, including Marconi. The first radio-assisted rescue by Russians took place in 1900 when fishermen stuck on an ice-floe were quickly saved after a radio message was relayed to an icebreaker.

9. In 2011, the 6th June was declared to be Russian Language Day. Prior to this, the commemoration day bore the name of the 19th century poet considered to be the father of Russian literature. Who was this?

Answer: Aleksandr Pushkin

Born on 6th June 1799, Pushkin was considered by some to be Russia's greatest poet and responsible for establishing modern Russian literature. He is remembered for such pieces as the poem "The Bronze Horseman" and the dramas "The Stone Guest" and "Mozart and Salieri". He was pugnacious and fought as many as 29 duels before a wound to his spleen resulted in his death at the age of 37.

The others listed were all Russians who died before their time. Former politician Trotsky was assassinated with an ice axe, composer Tchaikovsky may have committed suicide after being forced to choose between exile or suicide, and peasant, pilgrim and Tsarist adviser Rasputin was murdered.

10. What name is given to the traditional folk harvest festival celebrated annually on 19th August?

Answer: Saviour of the Apple Feast Day

This is the most important of three harvest days celebrated in August. With a pre-Christian origin, it has now been adopted by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Apple Feast Day coincides with the Feast of the Transfiguration celebrated by the Orthodox Church in Russia.

Source: Author suomy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
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Selected Russian Holidays Trivia Quiz

This is a selection of public holidays, commemorative days and other holidays celebrated in Russia. There is often an interesting history to them. Let's see what you know.

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