The Association of Home Army Soldiers being the prisoners of Soviet camps paid tribute to those who took part in military operation “Ostra Brama”

The military operation “Ostra Brama” is one of the most important events in the history of Poles living in the Vilnius Region. The 73^rd anniversary of the action organised by the unit of the Polish Home Army in the Vilnius Region is celebrated this year.

On Friday, the representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vilnius and the representatives of the Polish community laid flowers on the graves of the soldiers of the Home Army. Today, the tribute both to those who fell in combat and who survived the operation was paid by members of the Association of Home Army Soldiers being the prisoners of Soviet camps (Stowarzyszenie Łagierników Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej). The celebrations in the Rasos Cemetery was preceded by the Holy Mass in St Theresa Church offered for the souls of the soldiers of Home Army from the Vilnius and Navahrudak units, who fell in combat when fighting for liberating Vilnius from the Nazi occupiers in July 1944.

At 5 p.m., in the House of Polish Culture, the patriotic concert with the participation of choirs from Belarus and Lithuania will be held. The celebrations organised by the Association of Home Army Soldiers being the prisoners of Soviet camps will last until Monday.

On Sunday, at 10 a.m., there will be a ceremony of laying wreaths and lighting candles with the participation of veterans and invited guest at the monument in Bogusze, where on the 17^th July 1944 the Vilnius units of the Home Army were disarmed.

At 12.00 the flowers and will be laid and the candles lit on the cemetery in Vilnius Calvary.

At 5 p.m. the Holy Mass will be celebrated in Žemasis Pavilnys. Then the youth from Poland and Lithuania will lay wreaths and light candles at the graves of the Home Army soldiers fallen in the assault on Vilnius.

On Monday at 9.30 a.m. the prayers will be held in Paneriai.