Ukraine marks Day of Ukrainian Cossacks

KYIV, October 14 /Ukrinform/. The Day of Ukrainian Cossacks is celebrated on October 14 on the day of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Blessed Virgin Mary is the patroness of Ukrainian Cossacks. The Zaporizhzhia Cossacks, particular, had a church in honor of the Blessed Virgin in Zaporizhian Sich.

The holiday was founded by the presidential decree "On the Day of Ukrainian Cossacks" on August 7, 1999 ... given the historical significance and achievements of the Ukrainian Cossacks in the development of the Ukrainian statehood and a significant contribution to the creation of the modern state...".

To date, about a dozen Ukrainian non-governmental organizations of the Ukrainian Cossacks and more than five hundred regional, urban and rural Cossack formations are recorded in Ukraine. Among them: Ukrainian Cossacks (1991), Union of Cossack Organizations of Ukraine (1999), Cossacks of Ukraine (2001), United Cossacks of Ukraine (2003 ), and others. Now there are nearly 200,000 members of these organizations.

In 1942, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA) was officially formed on this day, therefore traditionally it is also the Day of the UIA.

АМ