The ceremony was attended by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Korniliy of Moscow and All Russia of the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar, Chairman of the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia and Chief Mufti of Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin, Chairman of the Council of Muftis of Russia Ravil Gainutdin, Chairman of the North Caucasus Muslim Coordinating Centre Ismail Berdiev, leader of the traditional Buddhist Sangkha of Russia Damba Ayusheyev, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia Dietrich Brauer, and Secretary-General of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia Igor Kovalevsky.
The President had a brief conversation with religious leaders, representatives of youth organisations and volunteers who took part in the ceremony, wishing them a happy National Unity day.
National Unity Day was established in 2005 to commemorate the events of 1612, when Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky led the people’s volunteer army to liberate Moscow from foreign occupation.