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The President and the First Lady visited the Holy Trinity convent where relics of Sts Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patron saints of the family hearth, are kept. The convent was founded in 1643. Newlyweds traditionally come here on their wedding day. Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev spoke with one such newlywed couple.

Mr Medvedev and Mrs Medvedeva also toured the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery, which was first mentioned in chronicles in 1096.

Later that day, the President and First Lady attended a celebratory concert and wished the city’s residents a Happy Day of Family, Love and Fidelity.

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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Good evening, friends,

Everyone has something which is most important to them in their lives, quite simple things in fact, such as family, home, relatives and friends, children – and their feelings of love toward them.

The holiday bringing us together today has a fairly serious history, and at the same time, it is a young, new celebration that unites an enormous number of people in our country.

Thank you for coming here today, for being so energised, and for loving those who are closest to you. This is critical in order for our nation to be happy, to progress and for all of us to have the best possible future.

”Everyone has something which is most important to them in their lives, quite simple things in fact, such as family, home, relatives and friends, children – and their feelings of love toward them.“

I hope that today you will feel many positive emotions – they are the reason why we come to concerts and celebrations – and at the same time, that you will share these emotions with your loved ones, the people who are next to you, the people watching this celebration on television, and the people closest to you in the world.

I wish you happiness. We love you. Thank you for everything.

First Lady Svetlana Medvedeva: Friends,

I would like to wish you a Happy Day of Family, Love and Faithfulness from the very bottom of my heart. This is already Murom’s fourth year as the capital of this celebration.

Today, we are following historical and spiritual traditions, remembering Sts Peter and Fevronia of Murom, whose family life embodied piety, charity and love. These must always remain as our most true, most demanded values and we must pass them on from generation to generation.

Although this holiday has roots in the Russian Orthodox spiritual tradition, it is supported by many different faiths, because these are crucial values for absolutely everyone.

I would like to thank you with all my heart for your support, for coming out to be with us today, and for the fact that we are a large, friendly, strong family. I wish prosperity to all of Russia.

Family is the source of love and life. When children are born into our families, we feel the joy of parenthood; after all, our children are our future. Preserving our families is the most important thing of all.

I sincerely wish you all love, happiness, and all the very best. After all, what is most important in life? Love!

Dmitry Medvedev: Thank you. It’s so beautiful, it’s truly lovely around here. This is our land, and we must love it, too.

All the best to you, and have a great time. I wish you all happiness.