Chișinău Day in Moldova Date in the current year: October 14, 2024
Chișinău Day is an official municipal holiday celebrated in the Moldovan capital on October 14 every year. Unlike in many cities in the former Soviet Republics, it doesn’t commemorate Chișinău’s foundation or liberation from the Nazi occupation during WWII. Instead, it honors the city’s oldest church and its patron saint.Most cities, towns and villages in Moldova have a kermesse, a festival celebrating the anniversary of the foundation of a church or the parish and in honor of the patron saint. The kermesse of Chișinău celebrates the Măzărache Church. Founded in 1752, it is the oldest church in the city. The holiday falls on October 14, coinciding with the Intercession of the Theotokos, an Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic feast of the Mother of God.
Originally, Chișinău Day was celebrated on the first Sunday of October. It was moved to October 14 in 2002 and has been observed on this day ever since. On the occasion of the holiday, Ștefan cel Mare Boulevard in downtown Chișinău is closed to traffic and converted into an open-air festival site.
Chișinău Day celebration usually includes folk music and dance, a marketplace offering handmade artisan items, traditional food and the best Moldovan wines, and more. In the evening, a big concert and a firework display are held at the Great National Assembly Square.
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- Anniversaries and Memorial Days
Country
- Moldova
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- Chișinău Day in Moldova, holidays in Moldova, municipal holiday, Măzărache Church, Intercession of the Theotokos