A Day In Belarus: Understanding Time And Culture

Today is Thursday, November 14, 2024, in Belarus. There are no holidays today, but there are several upcoming holidays in the country, including Catholic Christmas Day on December 25 and Orthodox Christmas Day on January 7, 2025. Belarus also has several official holidays throughout the year, such as Constitution Day on March 15 and Independence Day on July 3. These holidays commemorate significant events in the country's history, such as the establishment of the country's constitution and liberation from fascist aggressors, respectively.

Today's date in Belarus

Today is Thursday, 14 November 2024, in Belarus. While there are no holidays today, there are a few coming up. In the next few months, Belarus will observe the following:

• October Revolution Day
• Catholic Christmas Day
• Orthodox Christmas Day
• Defender of the Fatherland Day
• Union Day of Belarus and Russia

In addition to these holidays, Belarus also has several professional holidays, such as:

• Day of Social Protection Workers
• Day of Banking and Financial Workers
• Rescue Service Day
• Diplomatic Worker Day
• Belarusian Science Day

Belarus also has many country-wide holidays, such as New Year's Day, Women's Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day.

Upcoming holidays

As of 31 October 2024, here are the upcoming holidays in Belarus:

November 2024

7 November: October Revolution Day—This holiday commemorates the October Revolution of 1917, which marked a significant event in the history of Belarus and the former Soviet Union.

December 2024

25 December: Catholic Christmas Day—This is one of the biggest Christian celebrations and falls on 25 December in the Gregorian calendar.

January 2025

7 January: Orthodox Christmas Day—This is another important Christian celebration, observed by Orthodox believers in Belarus and other parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

February 2025

23 February: Defender of the Fatherland Day—Also known as Fatherland Defenders and Armed Forces Day of the Republic of Belarus, this day pays tribute to servicemen past and present and recognises all men.

April 2025

• 2 April: Union Day of Belarus and Russia—This holiday marks the union of Belarus and Russia. It commemorates the signing of the Commonwealth agreement between the two countries in 1996 and the subsequent agreement to form a Belarus-Russia Union in 1997.
• Radonitsa: 9 days after Orthodox Easter—On this day, people in Belarus usually visit cemeteries to pay their respects and lay flowers on the tombs of relatives and friends.

Time zone in Belarus

Belarus is in the Moscow Standard Time zone (MSK), which is three hours ahead of UTC (UTC+03:00). Belarus does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so this time zone is used all year round.

Since 2011, Belarus has stopped observing DST and moved to UTC+03:00 all year. Before this, Belarus Time was equivalent to Eastern European Time (EET) and Eastern European Summer Time (EEST), with yearly clock changes.

Belarus Time is also the same as Further-eastern European Time (FET), Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) during the summer, Arabia Standard Time, and East Africa Time.

Belarusian currency

Today is the 30th of November, 2024. Now, here is some information about the currency of Belarus:

The official currency of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble, which is subdivided into 100 kopecks. The word "ruble" has been used as the name for a currency in circulation in the region since the times of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. It was also used in the medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of which Belarus was a major part.

The Belarusian ruble is not a fully convertible currency, so it cannot be obtained outside of the country. There are no coins in circulation in the history of sovereign Belarus before the redenomination of 2016. However, the National Bank of Belarus has produced commemorative coins of interest to collectors that are also legal tender. These coins, made of gold, silver, and copper-nickel alloy, depict various themes, historical events, and famous people.

Since 2016, Belarus has issued coins for general circulation for the first time. As of 1 July 2016, there are seven banknote denominations (5-, 10-, 20-, 50-, 100-, 200-, and 500-ruble notes) and eight coin denominations (1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20-, and 50-kopeck coins, and 1- and 2-ruble coins). The banknotes have security threads and show 2009 as the issue date.

The most popular Belarusian ruble exchange rate is the BYN to USD rate. The currency code for Rubles is BYN, and the currency symbol is Br.

Important calendar dates

Belarus has a wide range of important calendar dates, from national holidays to commemorative observances. Here is a breakdown of some of the key dates:

National Holidays

National holidays commemorate occasions of historical, social, or political importance with a significant impact on Belarusian society and the state. These include:

• Constitution Day on 15 March, marking the establishment of Belarus's new Constitution in 1994.
• Union Day of Belarus and Russia on 2 April, celebrating the union agreement between the two countries.
• Day of the State Flag, the State Emblem, and the State Anthem on the second Sunday in May, dedicated to the symbols of national unity and sovereignty.
• Victory Day on 9 May, commemorating the victory in World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War), with parades led by war veterans.
• Independence Day on 3 July, marking the liberation of Minsk from fascist aggressors in 1944, celebrated with a large military parade.
• Day of People's Unity on 17 September.
• New Year on 1 and 2 January.
• Fatherland Defenders and Armed Forces Day on 23 February, honouring servicemen and recognising all men.
• Women's Day on 8 March, established after the 1917 revolution to celebrate love and respect towards women.
• Labour Day on 1 May, a popular holiday with concerts, public entertainment, and family picnics.
• October Revolution Day on 7 November.
• Orthodox Christmas on 7 January.
• Catholic Christmas on 25 December.

Commemorative Dates and Observances

Commemorative dates are associated with historical events, and observances are traditions with no official status but are widely practised. Notable dates include:

• Commemoration Day (Radonitsa), nine days after Orthodox Easter, when people visit cemeteries to honour the departed.
• Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl tragedy on 26 April.
• National Remembrance Day of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People on 22 June.
• Kupalle on 6–7 July, an ancient national holiday with songs, dances, fire-jumping, and night swims.
• Professional Holidays, recognising the merits of employees in various sectors, such as Social Protection Workers on 5 January and Medical Workers on the third Sunday in June.

Frequently asked questions