Photo credit: mos.ru (CC BY 4.0)
Friendship Day of Russia and Slovenia was celebrated the day before, on July 31, TASS reports. Traditionally, the annual memorial celebrations took place at the Russian Chapel on the Vršić Alpine Pass. Slovenians and Russians gathered there to honor the memory of Russian prisoners of war during the First World War. The event was organized by the Russian-Slovenian Friendship Society. The participants were joined by the Russian Ambassador to Slovenia Timur Eyvazov, other Russian diplomats, the first President of Slovenia Milan Kucan. Janez Ujcic, who heads the International Research Center for the Second World War II, and many others, were also among the participants.
The Russian chapel in honor of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was built by Russian prisoners of war in memory of their comrades. Hundreds of soldiers and officers died in March 1916 due to an avalanche during the construction of a mountain road on the pass. Now the chapel symbolizes the friendship of the Russian and Slovenian peoples. In 1995, it received the status of a cultural monument protected by the state. Since that time, solemn meetings of Russians and Slovenes are held there annually with the participation of government delegations from Russia, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, and leaders of the Slovenian state.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart from Slovenia Borut Pahor last year agreed to establish the Day of Russian-Slovenian Friendship. The date was timed to coincide with commemorative events at the Russian Chapel.
Russkiy Mir
