Flowers at Eternal Flame of Brest Hero-Fortress Memorial
As is traditional, the ceremony began at 4am, with the path from the entrance to the Zvezda (Star) Memorial to Ceremonial Square seeing re-enactments of episodes from the last peaceful evening in the city on the River Bug. Spectators were able to see the artillery position, exercises by Voroshilov’s shooters and OSOAVIAKhIM (the Society for the Promotion of Defence, Aviation and Chemical Building), dancing at the soldiers’ club, to gramophone records, as well as the way of life in the barracks and canteen. Photos from pre-war chronicles were also on show.
Brest residents were joined by numerous guests who arrived especially to honour the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War. Around 12,000 gathered for the event at Brest Fortress in the morning.
Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Kirill, timed his visit to Belarus to coincide with the memorial date, leading a short divine liturgy at St. Nicholas Garrison Church, before taking part in the meeting-requiem at Ceremonial Square.
