On January 25, 1755, Empress of All Russia Elizabeth signed a decree “On the Establishment of Moscow University.” Since then, this day has become a holiday for Russian students. Since January 25 is the commemoration day of St. Tatyana Rimsky, students called their holiday “Tatyana’s Day”, and they began to consider St. Tatyana as their patroness. After the 1917 revolution, this holiday was canceled, but students celebrated it anyway. In 2006, by decree of President Vladimir Putin, “Tatyana’s Day” officially became the “Day of Russian Students”.
Students are a special estate, a special caste. These young people who comprehend science have always striven for everything new and tried to be the first in everything. They cherished and were proud of their rank. Student time is the best time when people easily converge in spite of any difference, be it nationality, position in the society of their parents, lifestyle and other features of everyone not accepted at this time. Over the many years of their existence, students have developed their own special student traditions, sometimes serious, and sometimes funny, which they observe from year to year and are passed on from generation to generation. One of these traditions is its student holiday. In Russia, this is January 25, Tatyana’s day, which is considered the day of students.
The history of this holiday goes back to the distant past when MV Lomonosov, who, like all the advanced people of that time, received education abroad, decided that it was time to have his own university in Russia. For help, he turned to Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov with whom he was on a short leg. I.I. Shuvalov, being a sufficiently wealthy and influential man, contributed to the development of Russian science and art. He rendered his patronage to scientists, writers and artists, repeatedly supported the undertakings of M. Lomonosov. Being a favorite of Empress Elizabeth, Shuvalov turned to her with this petition. The far-sighted daughter of Peter agreed with his arguments, and on January 25, 1755, on the day of Mother Angel I.Shuvalov Tatyana Rodionovna, she signed a decree on the creation of the first Russian university in Moscow. So Tatyana Rodionovna Shuvalova became involved in this significant event for Russia. And the day of her angel on January 25 – the day of the Holy Great Martyr Tatyana Rimsky became the day of the appearance of students in Russia, which subsequently all Russian students began to celebrate as a student’s day. Saint Tatyana has since become considered the patroness of students.
In Moscow University for students and teachers of the university in 1791 a church was built in honor of St. Tatyana. Tatyana’s day became very popular in Russia. It was celebrated not only by students, but also by the entire faculty of universities, and later almost the entire Russian intelligentsia, as natives of students. Holidays were very noisy. First, official ceremonies were held within the walls of universities, and then fun walks, went to restaurants and took to the streets. At the holidays, both students and professors drank together. Even the royal gendarmes, treated this with understanding, usually drunk students, not only did not touch, but on the contrary they were even offered their help.
After the October Revolution, the holiday was forgotten, it was remembered only by the students of Moscow and St. Petersburg, who kept traditions, the church of Saint Tatyan was closed. But over time, everything fell into place.
In 2006, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin, Tatyana’s day was recognized as an official holiday – the Day of Russian Students. The temple of St. Tatiana at Moscow University was again restored. All Russian students now consider this day their main holiday.
