Congratulations on Defender of the Fatherland Day (February 23). A priest congratulates you on Defender of the Fatherland Day. How to congratulate Christian brothers on February 23

- Father Andrey, was there a tradition in Rus' of Defender of the Fatherland Day before the Soviet authorities introduced the date of February 23?

There were several days in Rus' when warriors were honored. So, the Day of the Knight of St. George was celebrated after this order was established. They began to celebrate the Day of Military Glory and the Day of Cavaliers of Military Glory. We had this on Winter St. George's Day. And there was also the date May 7, they tried to reconstruct it already in our Russian times, but it did not take root either in the state, or among the people, or in the army - for 90 years they have already become accustomed to celebrating February 23. This date has already become ingrained in both the officers and the people. Because all our people, especially the male part of the population, are defenders of the Fatherland. The date stuck, just like March 8, although it seems to be an anti-church holiday. Our people love holidays, but there are fewer and fewer of them.

How is the tradition of honoring warriors in Rus' connected with the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church? How important is the history of the appearance of February 23 as Defender of the Fatherland Day for Orthodox Christians?

From a church point of view, February 23 has never been a holiday. In the Russian Orthodox Church there are Days of Military Glory - these are those memorable dates that are associated together with our great military victories and at the same time with the celebration of any icons of the Mother of God or certain saints. For example, the day of remembrance of the Battle of Kulikovo is associated with the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the liberation of Moscow from the Poles - with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. These are the days of our military glory, which we celebrate everywhere. The Battle of the Ice is associated with Alexander Nevsky, so the Day of Military Glory is also established on this memorable date (April 18). These are the holidays dedicated to our soldiers that existed in Rus' before the revolution. And then the Soviet government had to introduce its own holidays, move away from those that existed before, this is ideology. After all, they announced that there is no God, so they invented new holidays. And they came up with February 23, although no special event happened there. They say that for the first time the Red Army repulsed the Entente forces near Pskov. But in fact, they lost the battle, escaped, and this day was elevated to the status of a festive birthday of the Red Army. So this holiday is non-church. But we cannot go ahead and declare that the Church refuses to take part in events dedicated to this holiday. After all, the Church in the earthly understanding is people, therefore we are with the people, therefore the Patriarch leads the holiday, laying a wreath together with all the clergy at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The holiday of May 9, of course, has a completely different status, it is truly a national holiday, no one even has any disputes, there are none. Victory Day. Victory of our people over the fascists.

Firstly, I just returned from ceremonial events at the Academy of the General Staff, we celebrated today, because tomorrow we are hosting a People’s Council within the walls of the Academy, and on the 22nd they are all going to see Putin, in the Kremlin, and will receive congratulations at the Kremlin Palace , and after that they have a day off. So there were congratulations today, I took part in the ceremonial events, congratulated them, wished them, firstly, of course, health, and secondly, I would like to wish our soldiers that the state pays attention to them, starting with the government and ending with everyone structures of power, so that our soldiers are provided with a materially decent salary, so that they are provided with housing, so that they have certain necessary benefits. But this, of course, depends on our state. And this is very necessary, because they are trying to improve the status of military personnel, while at the same time the state itself does not care about military personnel. The general receives less - I'm talking about the Academy of the General Staff - a janitor in our residential area. A janitor in winter receives a salary of 20 to 30 thousand rubles. A lieutenant gets 12-15, a colonel gets 25, a general gets closer to 30. It’s ridiculous to compare a janitor and a general, so the state needs to pay attention to this and pay its defenders the proper allowance. They protect this state. When the state takes care of them, then the status of officers and military personnel among the population will also increase.

We need to give birth as many times as possible

- And how, by the way, on inIn your opinion, to revive the respect of Russians for military duty, for army service, for the status of a military man?

Show less negative things about the army on TV, talk less about hazing. Young people who have heard a lot about hazing, growing up with negativity, accumulate it in themselves, and sooner or later there may be an outburst of these negative emotions, which is what happens. And so that you won’t even notice how you yourself will participate in it. In fact, hazing exists in all other areas of our lives. Why do we forget that the same thing is happening in our institutes or in children's holiday camps and sports camps? All the same. The elder always forces the younger to do something. But you can’t call this hazing. Previously, under Zhukov, there was such a thing as mentoring. The elder always took one or two young soldiers and raised them for the last six months. He was their first and main commander, he commanded them, taught them everything, passed on everything that he himself had learned in two and a half years. Naturally, sometimes we had to put hard pressure on them, although before no one was afraid of work, everyone worked, now they are pampered, they just want to get money without working. Because of this, many problems arise in our regular army. They want to introduce a professional army. A person is capable of giving his life only for the sake of an idea, for the sake of duty; a mercenary will be unable to give his life for money. He will serve until his personal life is in danger, and then he will not need any money, especially since the cash equivalent for life is scanty. Now the Church and the state are paying attention to the demographic issue. The whole problem is that in the 90s no one gave birth to children; now there is no male population who should have been drafted into the army. They were not born because there were crises, defaults, lack of money, food, all the problems because of this. And in order to survive - this is now being talked about at all levels - you need to give birth as many times as possible so that there is normal population growth. Then, perhaps, we will preserve our borders, our strength, state and army.

- You've said what you shouldn't talk about. What is worth talking about?

About experience. Namely, about those victories of ours, about people of duty. When I was studying, they constantly talked about pioneer heroes, Komsomol heroes, examples were constantly shown on television, in magazines, essays were written about this, they were studied in history and literature lessons in schools. Always before my eyes was the feat of self-sacrifice for the sake of mother, sisters, brothers, in the name of loved ones; patriotic education was generally placed at the forefront in the country. And now it needs to be revived. It’s just that, for example, remarks like “Patriotism is a screen for the enemies of the people” come out of Posner’s mouth. In the eyes of people, the concept of patriotism is thus debunked, they give it a negative meaning - they are already beginning to perceive patriots as talkers who do nothing. But on the contrary, it is necessary to revive and form patriotic education, to revive the example of sacrificial love and sacrificial service to the Fatherland. This should be instilled from early infancy and through the examples of our saints, commander Alexander Nevsky, Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov, all our great figures in history, including the history of wars.

Priest in the army. Tradition and modernity

- Throughout the history of the Russian state, the army and the Church have had fairly close contact. What is life like now in house churches at military educational institutions?

I only know the Church of the Archangel Michael at the Academy of the General Staff. There are still some places. I was at the Ryazan Airborne Institute, there they have a church across the fence, a parish church. The gate is opened and the cadets who wish can go freely to the temple. And the parish has its own, and at the same time, cadets and teachers are not deprived of the opportunity to visit the temple. That is, on the one hand, it is attached to the institute, and on the other hand, it is a parish church. My temple is closed, so no one can come there from the street; those who wish can only come through me; a pass must be issued. In many, although I cannot say exactly how many military educational institutions, we have churches. But this is actually still illegal - the Law on the Status of Military Personnel and the Law on Military Service prohibit having religious buildings on the territory of military units. Therefore, the fact that churches are opened on the territory of military units or military educational institutions is only due to the personal qualities of commanders and superiors. There was a case when a temple was opened on the territory of a military unit. Moreover, they consecrated him with the rank of bishop. But a new commander came and said that he needed this premises for other purposes and, please, vacate it and move it all to some other place. There was such a scandal, and the commander never gave in and forced the temple to move. Therefore, since we do not have the status of a military priest, now everything is based on public enthusiasm. Both on the enthusiasm of the priests, and on the personal enthusiasm and attitude towards the Church and faith of commanders and superiors.

As far as I know, at one time our armed forces organized training for clergy in a centralized manner. What are these fees? How is this going now?

The clergy responsible for interaction with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies are collected from all dioceses. And there were demonstration exercises, they showed all the aviation equipment in Monino, they also showed the cosmonaut training center, how training is carried out there, what equipment is there. And besides, we held conferences, exchanged work experience, studied the already developed methodological recommendations, especially plans for conducting interviews with personnel. It was decided to publish a single collection of all recommendations, achievements, and successes; materials for this collection are being collected. A collection for the clergy will also be published, a small short reference book for military personnel with basic prayers, holidays, days of military glory, and a catechism, albeit incomplete. Preparations are also underway, and I think that this edition will be released soon. So the training camp is still underway. By the way, just recently the Christmas readings took place, which were traditionally held in sections. And in particular, there was a military section, which brought together clergy from all dioceses working with military personnel. We talked about our problems and our successes.

- And what are the main problems?

The main problem is that we do not have state status - there is no law that would regulate our activities. All work is based on enthusiasm, and on both sides. However, the activity increases more and more. Officers made presentations, and the Deputy Air Force Commander for educational work spoke. He said that he now cannot imagine any of his units without a priest. Before flights, he says, we ask for blessings and serve a prayer service. If a general cannot imagine an army without a priest, then this gives a positive impetus to the fact that it is time to really think about the status of a military priest, because in Rus' there were regimental

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- Nowadays the term “chaplains” has begun to be mentioned very often.

The chaplain is not our structure, it is Western, Protestant and Catholic. In our country they are called regimental priests, but the principle of structure is the same - for a unit of over a thousand people, one priest is assigned. It's enough. And this may apply to all other faiths - Muslims and Jews can also invite their clergy for the military. In Russia, they practiced visiting a mullah on Fridays and visiting a rabbi on Saturdays. The Jews, interestingly, served mainly as signalmen. There is even a case described in the journal “Gazette of the Military Naval Clergy” that one of the Jews even went to great lengths, restoring the broken connection, sacrificing himself. This was during the Civil War. And quantitatively, the majority of the army was Orthodox. So we have both the Soviet Union and Russia, in its innermost, pre-revolutionary understanding, united by the people, all nations have always united around the Russian people. And it is a pity that now everyone is trying to belittle the role and importance of the Russian people as state-formers. Now our nationality column has been removed, we are all Russians now, but without the Russian people, everyone else will disintegrate, lose their culture, and simply degrade. Many people understand this, and people I know tell me, both Muslims and Jews, that we all live only thanks to the Russian people. It cements all of us, this whole huge space, the number of nationalities, and is certainly state-forming. This is what we need to talk about. It’s just that as soon as this is discussed, accusations of nationalism immediately follow.

- How long did the institution of regimental priests last?

It all started with the introduction of naval clergy by Peter the Great. Then they began to take hieromonks onto the ships. Then Peter the Great also introduced land regimental priests. The most basic task of the regimental priest was the funeral service of the dead. Then, closer to our time, when there was the Russian-Japanese War, a very large number of priests were called up, many memories were written about their hard work. The priest often turned out to be a nurse in one person, carrying the wounded from the battlefield to specially designated places, there he already gave farewell words to the bandaged dying. During the Russo-Japanese War, many priests were awarded pectoral crosses; in my opinion, some of the priests were even awarded the Cross of St. George. Of course, there were losses. All this data is available, it was announced in our magazine of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for interaction with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies, “Victory Newspaper.” Immediately after the revolution, the clergy in the troops was disbanded.

Interviewed by Alexander Bolmasov

The following days of military glory of Russia are established in the Russian Federation:

January 27- Day of lifting the blockade of Leningrad (1944); February 2- Day of the defeat of Nazi troops by Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad (1943);

April 18th- Day of the victory of Russian soldiers of Prince Alexander Nevsky over the German knights on Lake Peipsi (Battle of the Ice, 1242);

9th May- Victory Day of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 (1945); July 10- Victory Day of the Russian army under the command of Peter the Great over the Swedes in the Battle of Poltava (1709); August 9- The day of the first naval victory in Russian history of the Russian fleet under the command of Peter the Great over the Swedes at Cape Gangut (1714); August 23- Day of the defeat of Nazi troops by Soviet troops in the Battle of Kursk (1943); 8 September- Day of the Borodino battle of the Russian army under the command of M.I. Kutuzov with the French army (1812); 11 September- Victory Day of the Russian squadron under the command of F.F. Ushakov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Tendra (1790); September 21- Day of victory of the Russian regiments led by Grand Duke Dmitry Donskoy over the Mongol-Tatar troops in the Battle of Kulikovo (1380);

November 7- The day of the military parade on Red Square in Moscow to commemorate the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution (1941); December 1- Victory Day of the Russian squadron under the command of P. S. Nakhimov over the Turkish squadron at Cape Sinop (1853); 5th of December- The day of the start of the counter-offensive of Soviet troops against Nazi troops in the Battle of Moscow (1941);

December 24- The day of the capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail by Russian troops under the command of A.V. Suvorov (1790).

The most favorite holiday of men is approaching - Defender of the Fatherland Day. On February 23, all attention to dads, brothers, husbands and sons. They are given compliments, given gifts and, of course, sent congratulatory SMS. The most interesting wishes were collected by Vgorode.ua. TO YOUR FAVORITE: I congratulate you, Happy February 23rd, And I wish you, Buy a new Chevrolet. *** My dear man, I congratulate you on the Day of Defenders of the Fatherland! I wish that you will never be afraid to stand up for your loved ones and your country! I am proud of your strength, courage, endurance, bravery and resilience! *** What can we wish for our men? Work, money and love... And if we had enough strength, we would carry you in our arms. I also wish you adventures, So that you don’t get bored, Great things, great achievements... So that you want and can! *** You are a man! This means that you are a support and a wall. And if a woman cries, the offender will get the worst of it. Always remain like this, May only victories await you. Always call yourself a man, Be one. And let the fireworks sound! *** My beloved, I know you are a wall for me! I congratulate you with hope that you will always be with me! Happy February 23rd I congratulate you! Win always, everywhere, Know that you are the best on earth. I believe that behind you, like behind a stone wall, I don’t have to worry and I don’t have to be afraid of bad weather. You are my dear, my dear, For me you are always a hero! *** You are a real warrior, I know it! You were able to conquer me without a cannon, a saber or a horse! I congratulate you today, my general, my love! *** This is your day today, The whole holiday is for you! You are the defender of the Fatherland, our dear prankster! I would protect you day and night, - You love this business, Happy holiday, dear, Protect you skillfully! *** Happy February 23rd! I wish you unwavering health, a hundred years of life, a pack of shares, a new car, good luck, a dacha and money in addition! *** You are my protector not only today, I am behind you like behind a stone wall! You are very strong, noble, My dearest and favorite hero! TO DADDY: For kindness, love and affection and for your fatherly advice to you, our dear, we wish you health, happiness, and long years. *** On February 23, I congratulate Dad, May all the earth walk in your honor today! *** Happy February 23, daddy. For your valor, courage, bravery, Happy February 23rd, I hasten to congratulate you, My best dad in the world. Be happy. I love you! *** Congratulations to Dad on Men's Day: In my youth, I know, I served in the army. This means he is also a warrior, although not a commander. Worthy of a holiday, Protected the whole world! *** Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day, daddy, I congratulate you! Today all warm words for you, I wish you only happiness in life! *** TO COLLEAGUES: Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day, I congratulate you, colleague. From the entire female half of humanity, I wish you all the best, my friend! Please accept my sincere congratulations, And my wishes so that you can achieve happiness, After all, you are worthy only of happiness and love, I wish you to be satisfied with your life! *** You, colleague, are cool, And you shine with beauty, You are obedient to your superiors, You are not indifferent to women. You are a real man, Your mind is sharp and brilliant, And your car is a beauty, And you are a groom - anywhere! Happy twenty-third of February. We congratulate you! *** For the entire female team, you are the only man! That’s why we congratulate you all, lovingly! *** On the day of men's achievements, on the day of men's strength, We, colleagues, congratulate you! And new achievements, And a golden wife On this day we wish you! TO BROTHER: Be happy brother, be loved, I dream about this with all my soul. I will accept you as anyone, because you are my dear soul. *** Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day, my dear brother! Let everything turn around in the area - I love you too much! May all your dreams come true, my dear brother! Let everything be filled with happiness, Because I am proud of you! *** My brother, my support My protection and hope My eternal opponent for argument, And my friend, of course, everything is as before Health, happiness, on this holiday! I wish you sincerely and honestly And life will give you various miracles in an interesting world! *** Happy twenty-third of February, Congratulations brother, There will be a lot of laughter and kindness on this bright holiday.

Dear brother, I’m glad to congratulate you
Happy February 23rd! May happiness be your reward
Life will give you, and let it give you a lot more
There will be achievements on your way.

I wish you bright and great achievements,
Joyful moments, warm relationships,
Sincere feelings and good luck in business,
May you be fully satisfied with life!

2. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Congratulations to you, brother, on your 23rd!
And on February day I wish
Feel all the happiness in the world,
So that life is filled with wonderful power
Love, hope, feelings and faith,
That joy will illuminate you beyond measure!
Let every case go well,
And your fate will work out in the best way!

3. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

I congratulate you
Happy February 23rd!
May all the joy find you,
And success and sweetness will come!

Your life will not be in vain,
Spend it lovingly!
Step forward every day
Only happiness awaits ahead!

4. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Always be as strong
Kind, brave and beautiful!
You couldn't find a better brother
With a beautiful sister!

5. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Brother, happy Defender of the Fatherland Day,
We all want to congratulate you.
Live to the fullest, relax,
Be forever strong and young.

We wish you a lot of health, go ahead,
Don't give up on life
Well, so that it circles around you,
Always a beautiful swarm of brides.

6. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Since childhood, you and I have been together,
We are always next to you
You are my precious brother,
My dear protector!

From February 23rd
I want to congratulate you, brother!
And for a gift, quietly,
I'll give you a grenade!

Let your enemies be afraid of you
And to the Fatherland, home, family
Let them never encroach
Love Russia - your mother!

7. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Congratulations, my protector,
Nice, my best bro!
Let everything be a bundle of things,
I will give my life for you!

I wish you great happiness
Good work, warmth,
Let it be the way you want it
And lots and lots of dough!

8. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

My brother, congratulations!
And how, a protector for everyone,
I just beg you
Stay like this forever!

Be bold, courageous, interesting,
Protect your family
Well, and your wife, in revenge,
You will be adored there.

9. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

How can I serve you, tell me?
Easy or tight?
Maybe the boots are pressing,
Don't wake up in the morning...

10. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

I'm proud of you, big brother,
After all, you were once a soldier!
Served in the Russian Army,
Treasured the soldier's honor!

I hasten to congratulate you again,
I'm happy February 23rd!
I want to wish you
Live another 85 years!

Be young and mischievous
To the joy of your friends and family!
Be as healthy as a cucumber
In short, brother, you're great!

11. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

My beloved brother,
Brave soldier.
You are strong and brave
Fearless, skillful.

You protect everyone
You won't leave me in trouble.
You will come to the rescue
Even in snow or rain.

Thank you my dear,
Because you are like this!
I congratulate you, my love,
Happy twenty-third of February!

12. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

I want to congratulate you, brother
On this festive day of February!
You are the same as you once were in childhood,
And I love you very much.

Congratulations, I wish you
Many joyful, bright moments.
And friends, cutting off the phone,
Be sure to invite me to visit.

Take a little walk today,
Let your soul unfold.
If only the next morning, waking up,
Your head wouldn't hurt!

13. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Anyone who hasn't been there knows nothing.
About how difficult it is to serve in the army.
There children become men,
There they teach you to value your honor.

My brother left - well, just a child,
He returned as a man in the prime of his life.
Now you are an idol for your girls,
No wonder he wore the tarpaulin until he had holes in his legs.

Defender of the Motherland - that sounds so proud!
You have earned this title for a reason.
Let me congratulate you on this holiday,
On your holiday - February 23!

I'm your only sister
Which you grabbed by the pigtails as a child.
to whom you allowed so much,
But he always protected.

Maybe you weren't happy then
That the brother should be responsible for everything.
And never these braids
The stupid sister had no grief.

No one dared to lay a finger
This girl is always “out of work.”
Everyone who contacted was not happy at all
When her protective brother appeared behind her!

14. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Congratulations, my dear brother,
Happy holiday, purely male.
Be healthy, let troubles pass you by;
Be respected and loved;

So that you have such a wife,
To make all of Hollywood jealous:
Beautiful, faithful, cheerful and smart,
But without their Hollywood quirks.

The twenty-third of the second is your day, no less.
Be happy brother, good luck!

15. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

He served the Fatherland without sparing his life,
And you learned a lot for a reason!
They will congratulate you on the holiday from the heart,
All army friends today!

Brother, accept a gift from us too,
And wishes of happiness and love!
Continue to be brave and sensitive,
And if there is a need, then call!

Always ready to rush in and help!
Both in joy and in sorrow always!
May an angel protect you throughout your life,
Harmony for many years!

16. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Brother, it’s not for nothing that our mother gave birth to us
Not a girl, but a handsome boy.
And the holiday is the twenty-third of February
Not at all for the sad and whiny.

We rightfully celebrate at this hour.
Imagine, it’s specially designed
This holiday is warlike just for us.
Even though you and I are not in the army, not in the company.

We are united not only by ties of kinship.
We are united by courage and bravery.
And let from infancy to antiquity
We gave reasons for sagas to be written to us.

Brother, do you remember how once
Did you come home in tears?
And then I had to for my brother
And to defend the truth and honor.

Then I myself fell on the rocks
And broke both shins
You carried me, little boy,
He moaned and cried, but saved.

I was protecting your friend
When you left for the army,
Then we hugged each other:
“Serve, brother, well!”

And on this day we will both rise,
Let's raise more than one glass
For protecting to the grave
Each other and your country!

17. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Happy Defender's Day, brother!
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart!
You are as they say in books,
a man of great soul!

I know in difficult times
you won't leave me in trouble
Even if there is no money,
Where am I going? To you!

Please accept congratulations
from February 23,
Let there be fun all around,
let your friends come to you!

Be lucky, successful,
don't be sick, don't be sad!
And be loved, of course.
Congratulations! Pour it up!

18. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

You always protected me
And I didn’t let my suitors pass.
And, God forbid, that you see
That “someone there” offended me!

You are the best brother in the world,
I hope you'll be happy
That I hasten to congratulate you
And leave wishes.

I wish you to be beautiful
Healthy, smart, and happy.
Lots of money and cars
Men should have them.

Find a beautiful wife
And find it for the rest of your life! One!
Then I will be calm,
That there is someone to feed you!

Well, that's all I wish for you,
I congratulate you on Defenders Day.

19. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Happy Defender of the Fatherland,
My dear brother.
I want to wish you good health,
Kiss your wife more often!

There are a lot of strong, brave kids.
I want to wish you good luck.
May you succeed in everything in life,
Let fate resemble paradise.

More and very loyal friends.
And that tram is full of money.
And so that it’s always above zero,
There was a mood!

20. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

My brother! I want to congratulate you
Happy military holiday of the Fatherland
I want the world today
There was more optimism

Today is a holiday for all men,
Well, brother, congratulations!
I wish you happiness until your gray hairs,
And I wish you love until your gray hairs!

I wish you money - so as not to count it,
Good luck in business, always good luck,
My brother, how cool it is that you exist,
So pour it for congratulations!

21. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Brother, you and I can't fight
And don’t lie with your chest on the embrasure.
Don't fight to the death in a squad,
Catching stray bullets with your face.

But you know, this holiday is ours!
Not only wars measure courage...
Let's arm ourselves with only faith
And let's take life on board!

22. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Tell your brother honestly
Everything is as it should be.
Did you do something somewhere?
Is your whole face covered in fluff?

Stop being ashamed, don’t worry,
Emotions overflowing.
Our holiday, because we are men,
Pour some glasses!

Stay in line and smile.
Be brave, strong, strong-willed.
Don't give in to difficulties.
Be a wise helmsman of fate.

Be true to what you say.
Know how to love, know how to be friends.
And on Defender's Day I'm sure
You can support your brother!

23. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

You may be young, but that doesn't bother you
Defend your homeland with your courage!
I congratulate you on the holiday Men
You, my dear and beloved brother!

Be wise and brave son
A brave man of his Fatherland!
I wish you strong strength
Health and many, many years to come!

24. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Dear brother! We grow up in children's games!
Do you remember how you drove away the hooligans?
Why was I bullied at school?
And now you have become a man!

On this day, maybe we'll have some fun,
In honor of the fact that we are the strength of the country!
Our wives and children believe in us,
Because we are really cool!

25. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Soon the years will fly by
You will join the army, brother.
You will grow up at the same time,
You will become better than all of us.

You will be stately, strong, brave.
Protect us from enemies.
You will be famous for your good deeds,
After all, this is the lot of men.

And I will say with pride, lovingly:
Happy Defender of the Fatherland Day to you!
You and I grew up together, side by side,
We had everything in life,
And congratulate you on Fatherland Day
Of course I'll hurry now.

You are strong, my brother, I don’t argue,
You can even lift the machine gun,
But at heart you're just like a child
But in life, well, he’s definitely a soldier!

26. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

I hasten to congratulate you, my brother.
It's already February 23rd!
And make wishes,
So that they are only for you.

Fly through life like an angel
Always do good in everything,
Dream of happiness and luck,
And do not darken your hearts with evil.

27. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

It's so good that I have a brother!
I can’t imagine what would happen without you,
For any girl you are just a treasure,
Happy February 23rd, brother, congratulations!

I wish you success in everything,
Let everything be great in life,
More smiles, more cheerful laughter,
Good friends and a decent salary!

28. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

I'm on February 23rd, now,
I want to congratulate my dear brother!
The hour has struck for laughter and fun,
But we don’t need sadness and doubt.

May you be lucky everywhere, always,
Let everything be a success!
Brother, never be sad -
May luck smile on you!

Recently I was just a boy,
I always dreamed of growing up.
But now you have grown up, brother!
Became a real man!

And on men's day I wish you
To be with a worthy girl,
Congratulations to you today!
Know how to work and love!

29. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

You serve in the army, my brother!
And I’m glad to congratulate you,
After all, February 23rd -
A soldier cannot be forgotten.

I want to wish you
To become the most worthy in the service,
Let all the doors be open -
You can handle everything, I'm sure.

30. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Brother, happy February 23rd
Congratulations, with sincere love.
And I want to wish you luck,
And everything you could dream of.

After all, dreams come true, believe me,
If you open the door for them!
You deserve the best
For your soul and heart!

31. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Today I wish my brother
So that you don’t know any troubles,
And I congratulate you with all my heart,
After all, the holiday of all men has arrived!

Meet your luck with dignity
And find happiness in life,
Let everything that means a lot in life
Let fate come true!

Twenty third of February -
A holiday for every man.
Congratulations, brother, you,
From the fair half.

Be beautiful, healthy, smart,
Kind, faithful and lucky.
Head over heels in love.
And immensely happy.

32. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

To you, my dear brother,
I want to wish with all my soul,
May you always be lucky
To be happy, to spite everyone.

33. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

Brother - only the best wishes
On Men's Day, from the heart and soul!
Let every moment be a happy occasion,
Both days and nights will be good!

Let your loved ones be nearby,
They will support you and always understand you.
And may your wishes be the most beautiful
They will find fulfillment in life!

34. Congratulations on February 23 to brother

On the day of a real man
I want to wish my brother
Have reasons to be proud
Create a happy family,

And make a lot of money
To raise a son and a daughter,
Good luck, happiness and fun!
Overcome all shortcomings!

On February 23, a festive evening dedicated to our dear brothers took place at the Hope Church.

And although “Defenders of the Fatherland Day” is not a Christian holiday, it is still an occasion to once again remember our calling to serve the Lord. And since our brothers are at the forefront in the army of Christ, the sisters decided to prepare a holiday program to support the strong half of our Church.

The hall is decorated, the tables are set, the guests are in their places. The evening has begun! Of course, with prayer and praise to our Lord. Then there were congratulations addressed to our men. The sisters tried very hard to choose the right words. So that each of those present could appreciate their fidelity to the Lord Christ, a very moving video was shown. Then the shepherd summed up the main, solemn part with words and prayer.

The sisters know that words, singing and videos won't be enough to get the brothers into the holiday spirit, so they worry about a delicious dinner. Judging by the way they asked for more, it was clear that the menu had gone wrong.

Then the second part of the program began, where men could take part, even compete, and not only in tying scarves for their wives, but also in fishing and exhibition fighting matches.

Also during the evening we managed to form a real fraternal choir. All this was combined with congratulatory, original poems by our sisters and singing. And in conclusion, the sisters prepared another surprise - a lottery. The brothers were pleasantly surprised.

Congratulations from the rector of the temple on Defender of the Fatherland Day

Dear Defenders of the Fatherland!

Of course, each of us would like us to celebrate the true day of Defender of the Fatherland.

In Russia, before the Bolshevik coup of 1917, traditionally the Day of the Russian Army was considered the holiday of May 6 - the Day of St. George, the Patron of Russian soldiers.

Since the beginning of the 90s, this holiday has been celebrated annually in Russia by the Russian Orthodox Church and military-patriotic, Cossack and public associations. Someday the Russian Army will also celebrate it.

On this Day, soldiers of the Russian Army participated in parades, on this day they were awarded St. George’s Crosses and other awards, on this day Banners were presented and consecrated, and at the end they visited churches and commemorated all the soldiers who died FOR RUSSIA, and for those who adhere to an arbitrary interpretation history, February 23 remains only an excuse for “comrades of the atheists” to get drunk.

In fact, representatives of the Church should not congratulate on an imaginary and artificially inflated holiday, which has nothing to do with those Defenders of the Fatherland whom we honor today, especially since this holiday is, frankly speaking, anti-religious.

However, while honoring the works of the Defenders of the Motherland, we could not pass by without paying respect to all those who care about our country. But let’s make a reservation, today we are not congratulating on “that” revolutionary day, but we are honoring courageous soldiers, patriots of their Fatherland and Motherland.

We sincerely congratulate you on Defender of the Fatherland Day!
This is a holiday of courageous, strong, true patriots of their country. It is a tribute of deep respect to all who served for the good of the Fatherland, are on combat duty and are just preparing to join the ranks of the Russian army. To everyone who, through peaceful labor and military valor, achieves prosperity and stability in our state, strengthens the glory and power of great Russia.

Our common task today is to preserve centuries-old military traditions, increase the strength and power of the country, preserve the Orthodox faith, create conditions for the further development of faith and culture, and strengthen the authority of Russia throughout the world. Each of us, doing our work conscientiously and responsibly, can make our contribution to this noble cause. Remember, your day is May 6, when we together glorify all warriors.

On Defender of the Fatherland Day, we wish all parishioners of the temple good health, God's help in all matters and endeavors, peace and harmony for every family!

Archpriest Konstantin, rector of the Church of Elijah the Prophet