Kozma Minin, our great fellow Nizhegorodian who encouraged armed volunteers for a fight with his unpretentious speech in 1611:"We will wish to help our state, and never spare our lives, and not only lives but we will also sell our homes and pledge our wives and children."

Kozma Minin

These words are 390 years old. They found their way through to people's hearts because everybody was eager to help its homeland.

Wholehearted love for the land of their fathers - this was the hallmark of all selfless acts by Minin and Pozharsky. The united patriotic troops were driven to victory by Minin's call, "Together for one goal!" Minin and Pozharsky had nothing to covet from their action.

Local patriots led by Kozma Minin and Dmitri Pozharsky set out from its walls in 1611 for the historic liberation of Moscow.

The military compaign 1612 brought over whelming victory to Russian defenders. Minin`s volonteers fulfilled their hostoric mission and come back home as vanquishers.

They both belonged to the Orthodox Church and honored Russian saints.

By the materials of book "Anniversary Nizhny"