A Russian Christmas Celebration Brought Ballet Dancers, Balalaika Player To Demens Landing

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The St. Petersburg Russian Heritage and the city of St. Petersburg celebrated the Russian Christmas Friday, Jan. 7 — which is the date many Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas — at Demens Landing. (Video at bottom of article)

Folks gathered around as St. Petersburg celebrated its Russian heritage and founder, Peter Demens. Russian ballet dancers and Grandfather Frost (Ded Moroz) showed up with his balalaika, (a Russian stringed musical instrument), and entertained guests. Grandfather Frost, who is similar to Santa Claus, but connected to New Year's instead of Christmas, normally has Snow Girl by him, but it might not have been a great idea for her to be in Florida's hot weather, so she didn't attend.

Val Salni, a Russian ballet dancer, moved from St. Petersburg, Russia, to St. Pete and started dancing at the Mahaffey Theatre for about a year before dancing in different parts of the United States. "The longest I was in Mississippi dancing there in Biloxi and Gulfport," Salni said. "It was my favorite because it was very professional, and I did my most advanced, classical productions there."

Salni, who now lives in South Carolina, and his team of ballet dancers traveled to be part of St. Pete's Russian Christmas Friday, and the Russian Winter Ball held Saturday. "My American life began here in St. Petersburg, so it felt like my first home. I love St. Pete. It is a very good place. I am so happy to be here."

The Russian Heritage organization said it wants to continue having events that teach children about diversity, and about St. Petersburg's beginnings in 1875.

Why Russia Celebrates Christmas Jan. 7

Christmas is observed Jan. 7 by Eastern Orthodox churches, according to the Independent. Other countries that celebrate on this date include: Belarus, Sebia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Ethiopa, Eritrea, Egypt, Israel, Georgia, Moldova, and Bulgaria. Orthodox Christmas Day is after the New Year instead of before because of the Julian calendar, created under the reign of Julius Caesar in 45 BC.

The celebration of Christmas was banned during the Soviet era, and once again allowed in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced his Gregorian calendar, which most of the world follows.

"Since the Roman emperor’s system miscalculated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes, the calendar had since fallen out of sync with the seasons," History.com reported. "This concerned Gregory because it meant that Easter, traditionally observed on March 21, fell further away from the spring equinox with each passing year."

Russia celebrates New Year's Eve Dec. 31.

Peter Demens, founder of St. Petersburg, Florida

Demens, a Russian native, inherited large estates following the death of his parents at a young age, according to St. Petersburg.com. He served as a lieutenant in the tsar's army in 1867. After he left the military, he returned home to manage his estates and became active in local politics. Demens supported radical causes, and was exiled from Russia for possibly his anti-tsar political beliefs or a corruption scandal, the website reported.

He invested in a lumber business when he first came to Florida, and later took control of the Orange Belt Railway, extending it to run from Florida's Gulf Coast to the Atlantic Coast. The first train on the railway reached Tampa Bay, where a train station and a hotel were built. He named the new area St. Petersburg after his native city.

Video By Patch Reporter Skyla Luckey featuring Vasily Marinin, a native of Siberia and Sarasota guitarist who also plays a double neck guitar, played Grandfather Frost, and Val Salni with his dance partner danced to "The Nutcracker":

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• USF Unites Sister Cities St. Pete, Saint Petersburg, Russia