RIGA - Thousands of people gathered by the walls of Riga Castle and at the Riga Brethren Cemetery on Monday night to lay candles and honor Latvian soldiers on Lacplesis Day, LETA observed.
The crowd by the Riga Castle walls included people of all ages and walks of life. LETA also observed that people gathered in groups to sing patriotic and folk songs.
Many people flocked to the Brethren Cemetery where soldiers who fought for Latvia's freedom are buried. Thousands of candles were placed both at the Mother Latvia memorial and on soldiers' gravestones.
The tradition of Lacplesis Day was established soon after November 11, 1919, when Latvia's young armed forces defeated the larger and better-equipped West Russian Volunteer Army led by Russian Colonel Pavel Bermondt-Avalov and German General Rudiger von der Goltz.
Latvia's Freedom Battles were fought from November 18, 1918, the date of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, until August 11, 1920 when a peace agreement was signed between Latvia and Russia.
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