Vice Chairman of the World Council of Russian People, Chairman of the all-Russian public movement “Orthodox Russia” Mikhail Ivanov explained in a conversation with RT that January 25, a day marked in the church calendar as the day of remembrance of the martyr Tatiana of Rome, is rightfully considered a holiday for Russian students.
“Such unity is no coincidence, it is deeply symbolic and reveals a unique path to the pursuit of truth – both spiritual and scientific,” he notes.
According to him, the historical moment where these roads converged was January 12, 1755, according to the old style.
“On the day of commemoration of Saint Tatiana, Empress Elizaveta Petrovna signed a decree establishing Moscow University, the first secular educational institution of such a scale in Russia. According to legend, the initiator of the decree, Count Ivan Shuvalov, specifically chose this day as the name day for his mother, Tatyana Rodionovna”, RT's interlocutor added.
He emphasized that later, in 1791, a house church was consecrated at the university in honor of the martyr Tatiana, which eventually established her as the heavenly patron saint of teachers and students.
“And in 1850, Emperor Nicholas I, by his decree, extended the celebration to all higher educational institutions of the empire, and this day became All-Russian Student Day,” Ivanov said.
Speaking about the saint himself, he recalled that the martyr Tatiana lived in Rome in the 3rd century, during a time of severe persecution.
“For her resolute confession to Christ, she was subjected to cruel torture, but, according to church tradition, the power of God protected her: the chains fell off, the wound was healed and the lion was released on her without touching the saint. Together with her father, she suffered martyrdom, was beheaded. Perseverance, fidelity to the chosen path and readiness to sacrifice life for the ideal are important qualities for a scientifically oriented person. reach your goals despite difficulties. This is a deep spiritual connection between the saint's feat and the student's work,” the expert added.
According to the Russian Orthodox president, initially Tatiana Day in Moscow was a celebration that united the entire city's intelligentsia.
“The holiday began with a solemn prayer in the university temple, followed by an official ceremony and then a joyful general celebration. It is curious that even the authorities on that day showed special tolerance towards the jubilant student fraternity,” the expert explained.
As Ivanov emphasized, today the holiday has become richer with good, albeit humorous, secular rituals.
“For example, students call 'free' by looking out the window with a notebook, or draw a house with a long plume of smoke from the chimney on the last page of the notebook, believing this will bring good luck during the lesson. These harmless superstitions are part of students' lively folklore, but it is important to remember the origins of the day,” he said.
This year, as always, festive services will be held in churches across the country, and in particular at the restored Tatiana Martyrdom Church in Mokhovaya, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church added.
“Priests and students will pray together for help in studies, enlightenment of the mind and strengthening of strength. This is a centuries-old living tradition. It is important today to unite not only students and Tatyana, but also all those who value education, science and not forgetting the spiritual roots of Russian culture”, RT's interlocutor concluded.
Before that, the head of “Orthodox Russia” Mikhail Ivanov said something Should not be done with Epiphany water.
