Penza, 9 May 2013. PenzaNews. Celebration of the 68th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War was held at the monument of military and labor valor of Penza residents on Thursday, May 9. It was attended by veterans, representatives of regional and municipal authorities, staff of some Penza enterprises, and students of civil and military educational institutions of the Penza region. Memorial service for the soldiers who perished in Great Patriotic War and in local battles was held in Archangel Michael chapel.

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“Today we gathered to pay a tribute to heroism of our fathers and grandfathers who rescued our land from terrible devilish invasion of German fascism. And on this joyful day we ask the Lord to save souls of leaders and soldiers who “forged” a victory on Great Patriotic War fronts and also of those who worked for the sake of the Victory,” Metropolitan of Penza and Nizhny Lomov Benjamin said.

Opening the ceremony at the monument of military and labor valor, the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev thanked those who fought in the Great Patriotic war and those worked in the home front, everyone who made it possible to defend the independence of the country.
“In the history of Russian, no other war was as brutal and bloody as the Great Patriotic War. And there was no greater feat than the feat of our soldiers protecting the homeland from the enemy, saving the world from the horrors of Nazism. The memory of the heroism and courage of those who fought with weapons in their hands, worked selflessly in the rear, strengthening the country, will live forever,” the head of the region stressed.

The chairman of the city council of veterans, the veteran of World War II, the participant of the battle of Stalingrad, Vladimir Kerhanadzhev also congratulated residents and visitors of Penza with the Victory Day.

“Dear veterans, home front workers, the children of the war, the soldiers of Penza garrison! On behalf of those who died for the honor and independence of our country, on behalf of the regional and city councils of war and labor veterans, let me congratulate you on the 68th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War,” he said.

“It was hard, but we won. Glory to the winners! Eternal memory to the fallen soldiers,” Vladimir Kerhanadzhev said.

After the greeting speeches, local ensembles presented a concert program with dances and songs of the war years, after which the children released into the sky dozens of balloons symbolizing Peace on Earth.

At the end of the holiday a parade was held, attended by the students of Penza Artillery Engineering Institute named after Chief Marshal of Artillery Forces N. Voronov, military departments of universities, as well as the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The ceremony concluded with the laying of wreaths and flowers at the Eternal Flame Monument.