Penza, 23 February 2015. PenzaNews. Penza region and city authorities, clergy, and members of veteran and civil organizations took part in official celebrations of Defender’s Day held on Pobedy prospekt on Monday, February 23.

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Among the high-ranking officials were the governor Vasily Bochkarev, the chairman of the regional Legislative Assembly Ivan Belozertsev, the head of the city Victor Kuvaytsev, the city mayor Yuri Krivov, and others.

The events began with a commemoration service for all warriors who protected the country’s freedom and independence during the Second World War and military conflicts, held at the shrine-temple of Michael the Archangel.

“We have served the commemoration for those who carried their feat of valor with dignity to the end of their lives: as the New Testament said, laid down their lives for their brethren,” said the Archbishop Serafim of Penza and Nizhny Lomov, who also stressed that memory of the soldiers must live forever.

“So that we always remembered and knew the price they paid for this world for each of us when honoring their feat,” added the clergyman.

After the service, the Archbishop asked the gathered to lay flowers to the Military and Labor Valor Monument.

In his speech about Defender’s Day, the governor Vasily Bochkarev said he does not consider this a purely men’s holiday.

“As for me, I congratulated my mother today. She worked in Moscow at an airplane factory. They bombed the factory, but they continued to make airplanes until the officials decided to evacuate them to Kuybyshev and Omsk. So, she is a defender of the Fatherland, isn’t she?” said the head of the region during his discussion with the Penza media.