What is a crusade. Procession - what is it and why is it needed? Examples of famous moves
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The procession is an Orthodox rite performed
in the form of a reverent procession of believers
with icons, crosses, banners and
other Christian shrines
organized for the purpose of glorifying God,
asking for His mercy
and gracious support.
"Religious procession to Flora and Lavra". Artist Alexander Makovsky. 1921
The procession can be performed either along a closed route, for example, around a field, village, city, temple, or along a special route, where the starting and ending points are different.
The procession is deeply symbolic. The solemn ringing of bells expresses the triumph of the Cross of Christ, majestically carried, surrounded by a host of faithful who follow him like warriors following their sign. The procession is led by the saints, whose icons are carried in front. Processions of the cross consecrate all the elements of nature (earth, air, water, fire). This comes from icons, incense, the overshadowing of the altar cross on all sides of the world, sprinkling with water, burning candles ... 
The practice of performing religious processions has an ancient origin. There were religious processions in the IV century in Byzantium. Saint John Chrysostom organized night processions against the Arians through the streets of Constantinople. For this, silver crosses were made on poles, which were solemnly worn around the city along with holy icons. People walked with lit candles. 
Procession in the Kursk province
Later, in the fight against the heresy of Nestorius, special religious processions were arranged by St. Cyril of Alexandria, seeing the emperor's hesitation. Later, in Constantinople, in order to get rid of mass diseases, the Life-Giving Tree of the Holy Cross was taken out of the temples and carried along the streets of the city. 
Procession in Moscow
The immediate reason for the organization of propitiatory processions could be extraordinary circumstances, for example, natural or natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, droughts, crop failures), epidemics, the threat of the seizure of territory by the enemy. 
Procession in Saint Petersburg
Such processions were accompanied by common prayers containing petitions to God to protect the land and the inhabitants living on it from harm. In the event of a siege of the city, the route could run along the city walls or along the walls.
During the spread of heresies, special religious processions were performed, motivated by the desire to protect the Orthodox faith from desecration, and the believers themselves from mistakes and delusions. 
All-Ukrainian Cross Procession, July 2016
Over time, the practice of solemn religious processions took root in the Church. Such passages were carried out on some holidays, during the consecration of temples, the transfer of the relics of saints, miraculous icons. 
One of the oldest, Old Testament prototypes of the processions is the seven-day walk around the walls of Jericho by the Israelites (Josh. 6:1-4), the solemn transfer of the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Abeddar to the city of David (2 Kings 6:12).
Banners are an integral sign of any religious procession. During the journey of the children of Israel to the Promised Land, all 12 tribes made their journey following their signs, or banners, and every banner was carried in front of the tabernacle, and all their tribes followed it. Just as in Israel there were banners in every tribe, so we have our own banners in every church parish. As all the tribes of Israel traveled after their banners, so with us every parish during the procession follows its banners.
Instead of the then trumpeting, now we have a church evangelism, which is why all the air around and all people are sanctified, and all the power of demons is driven away.
Processions in Russia
We offer you a little bit about some famous religious processions in the dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. In reality, of course, there are more of them, religious processions are held annually in almost every diocese.
St. George's procession
St. George's Procession to the places of military glory and the heroic defense of Leningrad takes place in St. Petersburg annually. The tradition began in 2005, the year of the 60th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War. War veterans, representatives of search teams, the youth organization "Vityazi", scouts, cadets of military universities, parishioners of churches in St. Petersburg gather to commemorate the fallen defenders of Leningrad at the battlefields and burial sites. 
Organizer: Rector of the St. Petersburg Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" on Shpalernaya Archpriest Vyacheslav Kharinov.
Route: From Nevsky Piglet (St. Petersburg) through the Sinyavinsky Heights to the Assumption Church in the village of Lezier-Sologubovka, next to which is the Peace Park.
Velikoretsky cross procession
One of the largest annual religious processions in Russia. Passes with the revered Velikoretsk miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The procession has been known since the beginning of the 15th century. It was originally performed along the Vyatka and Velikaya rivers on boats and rafts on the first Sunday after the feast of the transfer of the holy relics of St. Nicholas to Bar-grad (May 22). Since 1668, with the blessing of the Bishop of Vyatka Alexander, a new date for the celebration has been set - June 24/6. Later, since 1778, a new route was developed - overland, which is still in operation. For 5 days, the pilgrims travel 150 km. 
Organizer: Vyatka diocese.
Route: Starts on June 3 from St. Seraphim Cathedral in Kirov, passes through the village of Makarye, the villages of Bobino, Zagarye, Monastyrskoye, Gorohovo. The final destination is the village of Velikoretskoye, where prayers are held in churches and on the banks of the Velikaya River. The pilgrims return back through the village of Medyany and the village of Murygino, and on June 8 they arrive in Kirov.
Procession to Ganina Yama
The course takes place in memory of the murdered royal family every year in July. The participants of the procession go from the Temple-on-the-Blood to the Monastery of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers on Ganina Yama. They follow the roads along which the bodies of the murdered Romanovs were carried in 1918. In 2015, the course brought together about 60 thousand pilgrims. 
Organizer: Yekaterinburg diocese.
Route: Temple-on-the-Blood - the center of Yekaterinburg - VIZ - Tagansky row - Sorting - Shuvakish village - the monastery of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers on Ganina Yama.
Kaluga procession
The procession is held with the "Kaluga" icon of the Mother of God, as part of the celebration of the anniversary of the death of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir and the day of memory of Blessed Lawrence. 
Organizer: Kaluga Missionary Department of the Kaluga Diocese.
Route: From the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kaluga through more than 30 settlements of the Kaluga, Kozelsk, and Pesochensk dioceses with a return to Kaluga
Procession with the Tabynsk Icon of the Mother of God
In Bashkiria, since 1992, the Bashkortostan Metropolis has been hosting the annual Tabynsk procession with the Tabynsk image of the Mother of God. 
Organizer: Ufa and Salavat diocese
Route: passes through the districts of the Salavat and Ufa eparchies of the Bashkortostan Metropolis to the place of the appearance on the river. Usolke at the salty springs with. A resort in the Gafury region, where a miraculous image was found more than 450 years ago.
Dates and duration: Several religious processions can start from different settlements on different days, while the end of the processions, merging into one procession, is timed to coincide with the ninth Friday after Easter - the day of the celebration of the Tabynsk Icon of the Mother of God.
Ufa Trinity Cross Procession
The Trinity Cross passes around Ufa: pilgrims walk more than 120 km and pray for the health and salvation of all the inhabitants of the city of Ufa. 
Organizer: Ufa diocese
Route: Starts from St. Sergius Cathedral in Ufa and runs along the outskirts of Ufa.
Dates and duration: begins annually on the day of the Holy Trinity and lasts 5 days.
Procession with the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" Kursk-Root
The Kursk Icon of the Sign of the Mother of God is one of the oldest icons of the Russian Church, acquired in the 13th century during the Tatar invasion. During the days of the march, the icon is transferred from Kursk to the Root Hermitage and back in a solemn religious procession, which stretched all the way from the Znamensky Monastery in Kursk to the Root Hermitage - 27 versts. 
Organizer: Kursk diocese.
Route: Znamensky Monastery - Kursk Root Nativity-Bogorodichnaya Hermitage.
Dates and duration: every year 9 Friday after Easter.
Procession with the Icon of the Mother of God
"Deliverer of Troubles" in Tashlu
The procession with the Tashlinskaya Icon of the Mother of God, organized by the Cossacks of the village of Krasnoglinskaya of the Samara District Cossack Society, began in 2014 and passed through the territory of the Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Penza and Ulyanovsk regions. The Tashli Icon of the Mother of God "The Redeemer from Troubles" - a miraculous icon revered in the Volga region, the main shrine of the Samara diocese - was found on October 21, 1917 near the village of Tashla, Samara province. 
Organizer: Samara diocese.
Route: Samara - Tashla village, about 71 km.
Dates and duration: beginning on the first day of Peter's fast, duration 3 days.
Procession in memory of all the New Martyrs
and confessors of Russian
The procession has been held every year since 2000. It is dedicated to the memory of all the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, including the martyrs of Vavilov Dol: the inhabitants of the cave monastery, who were killed during the years of Soviet power, were once located in the picturesque forest area of the Volga region. The total length of the procession is 500 kilometers. 
Organizer: Saratov diocese.
Route: Saratov - Vavilov Dol
Volga procession
The Volga Cross Procession began its history in 1999. Then, on the eve of the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ, with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, on June 20, from the source of the Volga, the procession began along the waters of the three great Slavic rivers: the Volga, the Dnieper, the Western Dvina. In 2000, the pre-revolutionary tradition of consecrating the source of the Volga River and the beginning of the Volga procession were combined into one holiday from that time. In 2016, the XVIII Volga Cross Procession will be held as part of the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of the presence of Russian monasticism on Mount Athos. 
Organizer: Tver diocese.
Itinerary: Olgin Monastery in the Volgoverkhovye - Ascension Cathedral in the city of Kalyazin.
Irinarhovsky procession
Every year in July, a religious procession is made from the Borisoglebsky Monastery to the source of St. Irinarkh. It is dedicated to the revered saint of the monastery - St. Irinarkh the Recluse and symbolically connects the village of Kondakovo - his homeland and the Borisoglebsky Monastery - the place of his stay and rest. The religious procession has traditionally been held for over 300 years. During the years of Soviet power, it was not carried out. Relaunched on the old route in 1997. The procession ends on Sunday. Length: no more than 60-65 km. Participants: over 2000. 
Organizer: Yaroslavl and Rostov diocese.
Route: Borisoglebsky Monastery - Trinity-na-boru - Selishche - Shipino - Kishkino - Komarovo - Pavlovo - Ilyinskoye - Red October - Yazykovo - Aleshkino - Kuchery - Ivanovskoye - Titovo - Zvyagino - Emelyaninovo - Georgievskoye - Nikulskoye - Gorki - Zubarevo - Davydovo - Novoselka - Kondakovo - the well of the Monk Irinarch
Dates and duration: Held annually on the 3rd - 4th week of July. The dates are approved by Bishop Kirill of Yaroslavl and Rostov approximately one month before it starts.
Bright Easter is approaching - the main holiday for all Orthodox Christians. Believers prepare for this day in advance: on the eve for seven weeks they observe a strict fast, spend time in prayer more often and try to do more good deeds.
On the eve of the holiday, starting from Holy Saturday, people consecrate Easter food in churches - Easter cakes, Easter cottage cheese, painted eggs, etc.
Believers who are preparing for the vigil, which takes place on the night of Holy Saturday to Sunday, are interested in how this ceremony goes, what time will the procession for Easter be, in which not only clergy, but also parishioners take part.
Some people also ask other questions: When does the procession take place on Easter? Who can take part in it? What time does the Easter procession start? What is happening? How long is the Easter procession? We will answer these and other questions.
First of all, it is worth saying that this festive procession got its name because it is usually led by a priest who carries a large cross. Other clergymen carry icons and banners (panels fixed on poles with the image of Christ or saints).
At the time of the first Christians, only a procession was performed on Easter, later this rite became widespread and firmly entered the rites of Orthodox worship. As for the church history of Russia, it began with the procession to the Dnieper, when the people of Kiev were baptized.
In addition to Easter, processions are organized for Baptism, for the second Savior for water blessing. Also, such processions are organized in honor of any significant church or state events.
Sometimes the religious procession is held by clergy in emergency cases, for example, during natural disasters, disasters, or during war.
So, in the old days, believers walked around the fields with icons during periods of drought and crop failure, and also visited various settlements during epidemics of various diseases. At the heart of this tradition lies the belief in the power of common prayer performed by Christians during such processions.
What time does the procession for Easter start?
Church service on Holy Saturday begins in the evening, at 20.00. At this time, everyone can come to the temple. People who want to get inside and be in the church during the entire service come here in advance. Others can watch the process from the street.
Singing begins in the altar, which is picked up by the Easter chime. Then, on the night from Saturday to Sunday, a religious procession takes place. This solemn procession symbolizes the path of the church towards the good news of the resurrection of Christ.
How long does the procession last for Easter? Among the rites observed by the Orthodox Church, there are long and short religious processions. Some processions of this type can last up to two months or more. The procession on Easter, as a rule, is short-lived.
What time does it start? This action, which is part of the festive service, begins closer to midnight - under the incessant ringing of bells. The duration of the procession is limited to the time range from 00.00 to 01.00 hours.
All clergy stand in order at the Throne. Priests and worshipers in the temple light candles. According to the established tradition, when the Easter procession takes place, a lantern is carried in front of the procession, followed by the altar cross, the altarpiece of the Mother of God, the Gospel, the icon of the Resurrection and other relics.
The procession ends with the primate of the temple, who holds the candlestick and the cross. The church banners carried by the banner-bearers symbolize the victory over death and the devil. The clergy are followed by parishioners with candles in their hands, who came to the service.
Everyone sings: “Your Resurrection, Christ the Savior, Angels sing in heaven, and make us on earth glorify You with a pure heart.” All the time while the procession is going on for Easter, the faithful are in a state of solemn elation and joyful expectation.
The procession goes around the temple three times, each time stopping at its doors, symbolizing the stone that closed the Holy Sepulcher and was thrown away on the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The first two times the doors remain closed, and the third time they open, revealing light to all who pray in the darkness of the night. The bells die down, and the priest is the first to proclaim the joyful news: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and bestowing life on those in the tombs.”
The clergy and all believers repeat this song three times. Then the priest fulfills the verses of the prophecy of King David: "Let God arise and his enemies be scattered...". People echo: “Christ is risen from the dead…” The solemn ringing of bells announces the approach of the great minute of the bright holiday - the Resurrection of Christ.
The procession solemnly enters the temple through the open doors. This action symbolizes the path of the myrrh-bearing women who entered Jerusalem to tell the apostles the good news of the resurrection of Christ. After that, the procession ends. This spectacular and mass event allows everyone present to truly feel the spirit of the holiday.
Then the Bright Matins begin, during which exclamations are heard: “Christ is Risen!” “Truly Risen!” Great Lent, which lasted seven weeks, ends with the symbolic opening of the doors of the temple.
After the festive liturgy and communion, at about 3-4 am on Sunday, the faithful can break their fast. The service ends with the blessing of the parishioners by the priest and the consecration of all Easter dishes brought for the festive table. Those who wish can also take communion.
Then, throughout the Easter week, special solemn liturgies are held in Orthodox churches. During Bright Week, which is also called Belling Week, everyone can climb the bell towers and try their hand at bell ringing.
Archpriest Alexy Kulberg, rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, head of the department of religious education and catechesis of the Yekaterinburg Metropolis, answers questions from viewers. Transfer from Yekaterinburg.
- Today is marked by one important event. On June 3, a multi-day and multi-kilometer All-Russian Velikoretsky procession started from the St. Seraphim Cathedral in the city of Kirov. Many people participate in this procession. They will pass the 180-kilometer Way of the Cross. This procession has an official page http://velikoretsky-hod.ru/, where you can track the movement of people and the route. In Yekaterinburg, on Children's Day, a procession was also held for children. And also on the night of July 17 in Yekaterinburg there will be a religious procession to Ganina Yama, to the place where the holy royal family was taken away. Therefore, today I propose to start the program with the topic of religious processions, to talk about why we perform such a feat and why it exists at all. First, let's talk about the etymology of these words: why "godfather" and why "move"?
The Velikoretsky cross procession is the oldest of all existing cross processions. Tens of thousands of people participate in it. We will assume that it does not come from Kirov, but from Vyatka - after all, let's return to the historical name of this city. The procession comes from Vyatka, from the place where the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was revealed on the Velikaya River. What is this procession for? A certain peasant on the Velikaya River discovered the icon of St. Nicholas, which was miraculously consecrated. Wondering what it was, he took the icon and brought it to Vyatka. The inhabitants of Vyatka vowed to worship this icon every year - to go to the place where it was found, and to pay honor, gratitude to the saint, who through this icon a huge number of prayers (voiced or not voiced), as well as the requests of the inhabitants of Vyatka heard and fulfilled. This icon became the main shrine for the Vyatichi people. And the Velikoretsky Cross Procession is an outward expression of gratitude to God and St. Nicholas for these favors.
I am not a historian, and it is difficult for me to trace the retrospective when the first religious procession was recorded in history. Probably, I will not be mistaken if I say that the first procession was the way of the cross of our Savior, which He made under the weight of the Cross, laid by the Roman soldiers on the verdict of Pontius Pilate and on the betrayal of the Israeli people. This is the first religious procession, as a result of which the saving sacrifice of the Lord was brought for the human race. The result of this way of the cross was the Resurrection and victory over death. Perhaps this is the most important meaning of any procession and the life of a Christian: to live your own path, not to grumble under the weight of the cross that the Lord places on us or that we ourselves lift on ourselves, and come to the salvation of our own souls.
The second historical fact that I associate with the procession is an event that took place nine centuries later, which we remember as the feast of the Praise of the Mother of God. We celebrate it at the end of Great Lent or during the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. The inhabitants of Constantinople, besieged by the barbarians, understood that there was no hope for salvation, the city would now be captured, devastated, and rivers of blood would flow along the bridges of Constantinople. They placed their only hope in the Mother of God and marched around the walls of Constantinople with the girdle of the Mother of God and the icon, which is kept in the Blachernae Church. We know that the Mother of God saved the city. Numerous troops besieging the city were destroyed, and the inhabitants were saved.
Yesterday the Church commemorated the holy noble prince Dovmont of Pskov, in holy baptism Timothy. His life describes a similar phenomenon: after the death of the holy prince Dovmont, who was the defender of Pskov, the city was besieged. As the life says, about 100,000 German knights and Varangians, hired by them, surrounded Pskov and were ready to capture it and turn it into ruins. Prince Dovmont appeared in a dream to several townspeople and urged them to take the mantle with which his tomb was covered. With this shrine they passed along the walls of the city, and the city was liberated. This is the third example in history when a religious procession was performed. In the last two examples (in Constantinople and Pskov), people went to the procession not because of an overabundance of pious feelings, not because they so wanted to acquire special heavenly grace, tenderness and tears. And they went to the procession, because they understood: there is nothing more to hope for, now there will be a bitter and cruel death for us and our children. There is no more human hope, something needs to be done, to turn to God. This cry, made in desperation, was heard. The Lord intervened.
Today we are doing religious processions. They are beautiful - for example, on Bright Week around the temple. Now it's summer, a whole series of religious processions begins. Velikoretsky of them is the longest and most massive. It must be understood that this is not just a beautiful tradition. Yes, it is blessed and beautiful: so many people, banners, icons, how pious they all are! But in fact, there is a crowd of sinners, a "crowd of problems." I know many people who go to the procession. The parishioners of our church left Yekaterinburg for the Velikoretsky procession, I know people who participate in the Borisoglebsky, Irinarhovsky processions. They go there not to communicate with similar Orthodox, to enjoy grace. They bring their problems there - husbands drink, children do not obey, there are some diseases. A person goes, realizing that he has an incurable disease, there is nothing to hope for: “I will bring the rest of my strength to God, maybe He will accept it, either give health or patience to bear this disease.” Such people, perishing in their sins, infirmities, sufferings, passions, gather, like the inhabitants of Pskov or Constantinople, in the hope that the Lord will at least accept this procession and deliver from what a person himself is unable to get rid of.
What do people who have walked this path testify to? It's very hard. Imagine: 180 km on foot off-road, in any weather. Even though it’s a thunderstorm, even if it’s hot, they go, they spend the night wherever they can, some in the field, some on the floor. And they bring these works in the hope that the Lord will accept. The Lord accepts, of course, but not en masse. Not all 70-80 thousand are immediately healed, enlightened, and problems disappear. People say: “We have passed, we have received such a charge of affirmation in faith, in the desire for a pious life, that for a year ahead until the next procession of the cross, this charge nourishes and keeps us from falls and human infirmities.”
Now many religious processions will be performed. Of course, this is the royal procession, which will take place on the night of July 16-17 in Yekaterinburg, 21 kilometers long. About 50 thousand people gather for this procession. The main leitmotif of the royal procession is prayer for our country, the repentance that we bring to God before the royal family for the sin of killing the sovereign and the sin of our own lukewarm, comfortable, well-fed life. We pray and hope that the Lord will send trials, give patience in these trials, and through this Christian work, our country, our Russia will nevertheless be made holy again, striving primarily not for life on earth, so that everything is satisfying, good, calm, comfortable but for the people to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and then everything else.
There are not only traditional religious processions, when people take a cross, an icon and set off with a prayer. There is, for example, a wonderful tradition when people board ships, kayaks, children and adults, take icons, banners, even a small bell tower is installed on the kayak, and such a procession goes along the river. People cover about 100 kilometers. This is done on the territory of the Yaroslavl and Tver regions, along the Nerl River. On the way, participants in the procession, or rafting, visit many villages that once had temples filled with life. And now the temples are abandoned, the inhabitants are also abandoned. This is a missionary cross rafting, the inhabitants of these villages know when to expect the coming of young prayer books. This is a joy and an opportunity once a year to participate in a prayer service, in a liturgy in abandoned churches. There is even a tradition to celebrate the liturgy on the island. Once a tragedy occurred: when the waters of the Rybinsk reservoir were raised, settlements were flooded. And such a picture arose: in the middle of the sea, the bell tower sticks out. There is an island there, on which the temple once stood, now the earth from the water and the remains of a brick are visible. Liturgy is celebrated on this island, in the place where the temple once stood. Such a procession is addressed not only to the people who participate in it, but also to hundreds of those who are waiting for it in these villages. During overnight stays, talks and concerts are held. People touch that spiritual life, which is inaccessible to them during the whole year. Here is the result.
Question from TV viewer Aleksey from St. Petersburg: “I heard that in ancient times, in the first Christian centuries, there was such a rule: everyone who did not succeed in fasting thoroughly during Great Lent, for example, travelers, fasted during Peter's fast. And if a person spent Great Lent carefully, then he was freed from Peter's fast. Have you heard of this rule?
Yes, I heard about such a tradition that Peter's fast was established for those people who either did not have the opportunity to properly follow the path of Great Lent, or did not have such a desire - for example, they were only baptized the day before, on Holy Saturday. Naturally, they did not fast during Lent. The post was dedicated to the apostles. These labors, which Christians brought during the short period of Peter's fast, gave certain fruits. Today there is a discussion: “If in ancient times there was no Petrov fast, why are we now diligently fasting both on Great and Petrov? Let's cancel the Petrov post. Since we fasted on Great Lent, it means that we will not fast on Petrov.” There are interesting arguments for and against this. The Synodal Commission has gathered many intelligent, educated both theologically and historically spiritually experienced people who are preparing proposals regarding the attitude towards Peter's post. I can only say as a priest and as a Christian: I am now happily waiting for the end of a continuous week, the moment when Peter's fast begins. Lent is called "spiritual spring". When it begins, the soul blossoms like an apple tree warmed by the sun in spring, throws out its leaves and blossoms. When does the post end? Well, who has not experienced this sad reality: Easter, joy, the Resurrection of Christ, a week, a second, a third - and that tension of spiritual life goes away, there is time for relaxation, some regrets that that taste of spiritual life is washed away, lost. And where to find it? The opportunity to devote two to four weeks to God is a joy for me personally and for those people whom I, as a priest, minister to. We are waiting for the opportunity to fast, study the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of the Holy Apostles, we are looking forward to fasting in order to control our womb and practice piety and thereby benefit ourselves and those around us, who, seeing us fasting for real, will benefit. Fasting does not just mean that we do not eat something, but we need to limit ourselves in spectacles, idle talk. This benefits not only the person, but also the people around him. Who else, but I think that for a Christian this is a great benefit and whoever fasts will gain. There are people who are looking for: “How can we not fast?” Don't fast. God will give you something else, some other grace, maybe he will send some kind of illness, sorrow, or maybe he will look after His love, warm your heart so that you will feel good even without fasting. This post is consecrated by our ancestors for centuries. In the life of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky, a great saint revered in the Church, it is mentioned that on Tuesday or Thursday of the first week of Peter's Lent in the summer he came to the prince on a sleigh, predicting this arrival in advance. That is, Peter's fast for people who lived during the time of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky, who carried such missionary labors, was an important milestone, for them it was essential. They, too, probably knew that this tradition comes from the holy apostles, not from the Lord Jesus Christ. There was such a tradition, we adopted it, therefore, probably, Russia is called Holy. Faith was in Russia, but in the West, without fasting, it cooled, emasculated, and now they have come to the troubles that exist. Therefore, the strength of tradition matters, especially for a Russian person, tradition means a lot. I believe that traditions should be preserved, respected carefully, with love. Then the Lord will give a lot of things to a fasting person. If someone is having a hard time, then there are enough indulgences for people who are having a hard time, who are sick, who are weak. I think that your confessor will determine the measure that you can bear. Moreover, fasting is not strict, the fish is blessed. So let us fast with the apostolic, auspicious fast.
Question from TV viewer Tamara from Volgograd: “I buy icons in the temple and put them not on the shelves, but glue them to the wall with glue. It is a sin?"
If the glue is strong and the icons do not fall off the wall, this is not a sin. I think you paste with love and then pray in front of them. And if they are badly glued, fall off or the corners turn away, find a good glue. It is only important that the icons do not fall and that, looking at them, you turn to the Mother of God, to the Savior, to the saints. This is a very rewarding work. Buy, attach, pray for us, and for all listeners and viewers of the Soyuz TV channel. And it will be a great blessing, not a sin.
We spoke earlier about the fact that those who participate in these solemn processions are penitent people, sinners, as you said - "a crowd of problems." And if we take children's religious processions, is there such a feeling of this event in the souls of children that they are sinners, that they are performing some kind of feat? Or is it one of the solemn events in which they participate for them?
This is an educational event for children who participate in these moves.
- Is educational work carried out to explain the meaning of what is happening?
The children who take part in the procession on June 1 and in the river rafting are not random children. They went to this procession for a certain time, studying at Sunday school, preparing for the rafting, studying the route, studying the icons that they would have in their hands. Preparation time is a serious educational moment. Here the children go to school, do their homework, but why, for what - it is not very clear. One feels the aimlessness, the meaninglessness of their existence. They are immersed in social networks, in their childhood problems. There is a feeling of frivolity, virtuality of everything they do. When a child lives with one foot in the virtual world, he has the opportunity to touch real life when he goes on a cross rafting trip and finds himself in a village. City residents see a different reality, completely different people, residents of distant villages and villages. For us today they are like aliens. How the expressions and behavior of children change when they start talking with the inhabitants of these villages: a completely different dialect, a completely different sense of time. They live a year, and someone two years of their lives in the experience that they acquire: overcoming themselves, communicating with those people whom they would never have met either on TV or on Instagram. They get the experience of doing good. And they know that what they are doing now is good. It brings joy and comfort. For a whole year they receive a boost of energy, because a long stay in such good deeds does not pass without a trace for the soul. And when they return to their apartments, to the circle of friends and comrades, they feel that it was so good, but now it is not. Where is "good"? It is "good" where "two or three are gathered in My name", where the Church is. People who have touched long-term good work, then look for the opportunity to communicate, to continue this good work in Sunday school, in the Church, in the parish. The same applies to those children who walked the streets of Yekaterinburg the day before yesterday. People live in the city, they know that city life is chaos, vanity, they advertise something, they sell something. And what they touch in the Church, they do not meet on the streets, in the lanes, on the avenues of the city. And here they have the opportunity to open this church, inner, secret life to the people around them and to be not just some kind of kids standing on the sidelines, but this is their missionary work. The child himself comes with a cross, with an icon, he sings songs and hymns to the Lord. When the procession ended, the children approached the chapel in honor of St. Catherine. There once was a temple. Peers approached them and asked: “Guys, what is going on here?” And what is it like for a young banner-bearer to tell and substantiate this in such a way as to interest a peer in the seriousness and grace of his doing? It is, in essence, an examination of what he studied during the year in Sunday school, or an examination of the faith and faithfulness he acquires in the temple. It's one thing to be embarrassed, shy: after all, everyone is so dressed up, painted, dancing to the music on Children's Day, but we somehow behave differently. But to substantiate, not to be embarrassed - this is a serious test. If the child was capable of this, then there is hope that when tomorrow or the day after tomorrow he walks through the streets of the same city, passes by the temple, he will not hesitate to make the sign of the cross. When he is at school and sees some social atrocity, some of the younger ones will be insulted, he will have something to cling to, he will have a “ledge” in his soul, on which he can stand and not slip, not be like everything, but still remain the person that we saw here during the procession. This is very important for others and for the participants in the procession.
Question from TV viewer Yevgeny from the Belgorod region: “Christ spoke with the Pharisees about fasting. They asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples fast?” He said, “How can they fast when the Bridegroom is with them. When the Bridegroom is taken away from them, then they too will fast.” The Bridegroom is Christ. And fasting was done for Him. And Peter's fast is made for the sake of the apostles? And why is the fast in honor of the Apostle Peter, why did we bypass the Apostle John? He alone did not run away and did not renounce Christ.”
A Christian is a person who is looking for opportunities to use any life situation for spiritual salvation. We fast for the sake of Christ: in Great Lent - for the sake of Christ and in Petrov - for the sake of Christ. We partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The crown of fasting is preparation for the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, not Peter and Paul or John, but Christ. Therefore, the fast is called Petrov, but this does not mean that we fast in honor of Peter, and does not mean that we do not notice Paul or other apostles. Let's think like this: firstly, during the Petrine Lent, the Church calls on Christians to pay close attention to the One about whom the apostles testified; secondly, to strive to imitate the lives of the holy apostles. We can very quickly slide into Protestantism: “Nothing matters, only Jesus Christ and the gospel matter. We are not interested in anything else." We know that by such an imaginary concentration on Jesus Christ and on the text of the Gospel, the Protestants have deprived themselves of a huge range of spiritual means that the Lord and the Church give to a person, a Christian. I would not like to go this way and limit myself. The Lord chose the apostles and sent them to preach, so that they would spread the news about Jesus Christ and the Gospel throughout the earth. Jesus Christ could say, “I am in charge. Believe in me, I will preach about myself throughout the earth. The Lord doesn't do that. He reveals Himself to the disciples, the apostles, He gives them the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, so that their word would not be a human word, full of some vices and lust, but a divine word, full of the power of the Holy Spirit. Then He says, "Go and preach the gospel to every creature." What we know about Christ, we know from the apostles. Is it not worth at least for the sake of this 2-4 weeks to devote to what they said, wrote, what kind of life they lived and how the holy apostles ended it. Peter's Lent traditionally ends on July 12, the feast day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. If you are embarrassed that on this day we end the fast and exalt two apostles, and humiliate the rest, do not be discouraged. Fast until July 13, on this day the Church commemorates the Synod of the Holy Apostles, all twelve. Continue fasting one more day and dedicate this fast to John the Theologian, James Zebedee, Andrew the First-Called and other holy apostles, whom, I have no doubt, you love, revere, read and whose life you imitate. Continue until the 13th, come to the temple for the service (in Belgorod, I have no doubt, there is a temple in the name of the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles), this will be your good deed, good veneration of the holy apostles of Christ. You began with the words: why the disciples of Christ do not fast, and the Lord answers that the time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away. Yes, that time has come. On Wednesday, Judas betrayed Christ; on Friday, the Lord was taken away from the disciples and crucified on the Cross. Therefore, every Wednesday and Friday are fast days. A Christian is attentive to Wednesday and Friday, not just changing the diet, but paying attention to what services are performed. On Friday, the Cross of Christ is always venerated, on Wednesday - the Mother of God. Attention to these details will certainly make your post, and the post of any person, more meaningful and faster leading to Jesus Christ. I wish this for you and for myself.
Question from TV viewer Artem from Sochi: “During the service we pray to the saints to pray to God for us. We pray to the Mother of God with the words "save us", although the Gospel says that we have one Teacher - Christ. Why do we pray to the Mother of God "save us", and to the saints - "pray to God for us"?
Such is the tradition. By this we emphasize the special role of the Mother of God in the salvation of mankind. So God was pleased that it was through the chosen Virgin that the God-Man Jesus Christ came into the world. God so trusted this person, this Virgin, that She taught Him human life, She taught Him to walk, speak, write. She was His closest person on this earth. This closeness was expressed in the event of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, when the Lord Himself came to earth in Gethsemane in order to take the soul of the Mother of God, and then the body and ascend to Heaven. These special relationships between the Mother of God and the God-man, Her Son, Jesus Christ, are emphasized by the fact that we see a special relationship to Her. She brought the Savior into the world, served the cause of salvation, we turn to Her: “Mother of God, as You served for the salvation of all mankind, so I ask You to serve the cause of salvation for me personally.” We turn to Her: "Save us." But this does not in the least detract from the dignity of the saints of God.
We read the life of the saint and wonderworker Nicholas about how he repeatedly saved people who were dying, who were preparing to be executed by beheading with a sword or who were drowning on a ship. They did not pray according to a prayer book or an official. They had a cry in which all faith is concentrated: “I am dying, I ask you to help, save!” Such a prayer was heard. Here, in these words “Most Holy Mother of God, save us”, “holy saints of God, pray to God for us”, is not a dogmatic component, but rather a measure of the participation of the Mother of God and the saints in our life and in the work of our salvation. The measure of the Mother of God is greater than the measure of the holy saints of God, who also participate, help in the same way, but still not to the same extent, not to the same degree, significance and closeness to God and people, as is shown by the Mother of God. But, turning in a difficult situation to the God-pleaser you revere - St. Nicholas, St. Spyridon, the Holy Great Martyr George, St. Constantine and Elena and others - you will not offend the Mother of God in the least. I think you will be heard by those whose name you call on. But this is a tradition that exists in the Church, sanctified by the fact that generations of people before us lived by this tradition, and in this tradition they were brought up in holiness and entered the Kingdom of Heaven. For them, such a formulation did not at all become an obstacle in order to believe in the Risen Christ, the Mother of God and the saints and imitate their life. This helped them become saints themselves and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If we, as Christians, lovingly accept church tradition, just as children lovingly accept the language spoken by their parents, then this will be salutary for us.
Today I was walking down the street and saw a beautiful family from afar: a stately father, a mother dressed modestly and beautifully, and two children. And I hear that they are “banging” in the Central Asian language, I don’t even know what language it is. If I had first heard the language, then maybe I didn’t have the best thoughts (in our land they don’t really like aliens from other countries). And at first I saw the beauty of this family, this love that is present. They walked as one. And when they approached, I had no choice but to glorify God: “Lord, glory to Thee, who nourishes and blesses every person living on earth.” And if we, like children, perceive the tradition that our ancestors brought with their sweat and blood, preserved, then we are approaching salvation. Greece has a different tradition, the Copts have a third. They live the way they received from their fathers. Let us live and be saved in the tradition that the Orthodox Church has preserved for us.
I would like to return to the topic of Children's Day and to the all-Russian action in defense and remembrance of those children who could be among us. We are talking about unborn children. What is the essence of this action, how did it go?
Everyone's favorite pastor, Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov, who is the chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Family and Child Affairs, addressing His Holiness the Patriarch and discussing the topic of abortion with him, received a blessing from the Patriarch to make every possible effort to ensure that this misfortune, this pestilence from our land lime. And the Patriarch, in fact, blessed the holding on June 1, on Children's Day, of a special prayer work: to read a penitential prayer to our God, the Mother of God, to the saints with a request to take this plague away from our people, our country, to light candles on the salt to designate that in this day, in this prayer, there is a certain exclusivity. In Yekaterinburg, 5,000 red lamps were prepared, they were marked with information about this penitent action. These lamps were distributed to the churches of the city, the diocese, and the media were warned. Thus, on June 1, the priests spoke from the pulpit, saying that the children who are under the mother's heart, the children in the womb, are full-fledged living citizens, that abortions are the murder of full-fledged citizens. We must protect not only those children who live, but those who live under the heart of their mother. These words were rebroadcast by many TV channels. We hope that they were heard by viewers. There is hope that the Lord still hears His Church and fulfills what we ask. People learned, heard, were ashamed of what was done, or what they intended to do - thank God! In the temples, all salt, all the steps that are in front of the pulpit and to the left and right of it, were filled with rows of burning lamps. We understood that people brought lamps with a spark for a reason. Someone has one or three ruined children on their conscience. Someone has non-resistance, assistance, stupid advice to people to commit this crime. You see how these lamps burn, and the heart melts; people came. It was necessary to look into the eyes of these people who prayed: so much grief and hope was hidden in them, the hope that when the souls of the ruined children who stand before God meet with their souls, the meeting will not be so terrible, for the sin they have committed there will be no descent into hell. Still, there is hope for salvation. We know that His Holiness the Patriarch came up with an initiative in the State Duma to exclude abortions from the system of compulsory medical insurance, so that abortions are not performed at the expense of the state and taxpayers. It is not easy for such an initiative to pass. There are high-ranking people who resist this initiative of the Patriarch. But I very much hope that the Lord, Who has worked a miracle on our land so many times, will eradicate this cannibalistic practice from our people. Children will be born, brought up - and they will observe Peter's fast (this tradition will not leave our lives). They, too, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, not as martyrs who have not been baptized and awaiting a meeting with their unfortunate parents, but as the children of the holy saints of God entered.
Host: Dmitry Brodovikov
Transcription: Natalia Maslova
What is the Procession of the Cross and why do believers need to go on a prayer procession with an icon? To properly pass the procession, you need to understand its meaning. Our life is a long road and, following this path, we can both grow in piety and commit sins. Many events require self-denial, the ability to overcome difficulties, to walk the long path of life with prayer. The procession is a symbolic procession along the path of life. We tell ourselves and others that we want to follow the path of Christ, because to be with the Lord is the main goal of our earthly life. At this time, we do not just go, hoping that the procession with the icon of the saint can somehow magically affect us, we pray. The procession is a time of prayer and reflection on one's life, one's path and its meaning. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there I am in the midst of them." It is also the "communion of the saints", an opportunity to feel unity with one's fellow believers. Show love and mercy to those who find it difficult to walk. Pray together. The procession is important for believers.
People organize a procession with icons and other Orthodox shrines to glorify the Lord. Icons are carried ahead so that the saints “lead” the procession with prayer. Religious processions can take place along any route. Sometimes they consecrate sites that are notorious for tragic events, sometimes the procession takes place along a route that has some symbolic meaning for the Orthodox. But its essence is not in the distance from point A to point B, but in the desire to glorify God and His saints, in prayer. Sometimes a religious procession is a petition (for rain, for better living conditions, for help for the sick, for the repose of the dead).
Orthodox procession: history and traditions in Russia
The ancient tradition of the procession began to revive in Russia quite recently. Before the revolution, prayer processions were common. In difficult times, Russian people were supported by religious processions with the icon of saints. Then not only ordinary pilgrims walked, but also the highest church clergy, as is happening now. People went for support to St. Sergius, to the Solovetsky saints, to monasteries and temples. The Velikoretsky Cross Procession went to the place of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This procession is probably the most difficult in the history of Russia. People walk for 150 km on bad roads, in difficult conditions, part of the way passes through the forest, where there are no roads at all. In times of theomachism, pilgrims who were going to the religious procession were detained by the police. He was few in number. Now it is, on the contrary, one of the largest gatherings of believers.
Traditions of the Velikoretsk Cross Procession for 600 years. It is connected with the history of the Orthodox miracle. It is believed that a certain pious person was passing near the Great River and suddenly saw a heavenly light resembling the flame of burning candles. In awe, he did not dare to approach this place. But when he returned home, he saw that the light was still on. He crossed himself and, overcoming fear, went to this place. It turned out that next to a small source is the image of St. Nicholas. A pious man, whose name was Semyon Agalakov, in 1383 helped the Church acquire the Velikoretsky image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
After this event, amazing things began to happen in the nearby village: the healing of the sick. And the pilgrimage to the icon began. At first people walked one by one, and then together. People began to come from other places, having heard about the miracle. The icon, in the end, was transferred to Khlynov, but every year people bring it in procession with a prayer procession to the place of miraculous finding. The route is so difficult that the first religious processions were made on the water.
Modern pilgrims also plunge into the water of the holy spring at the place where the icon was found, when they make the procession. A small chapel was also built there. And the inhabitants of the villages of Medyany and Murygino kneel and make the sign of the cross when the prayer procession passes by.
Father Alexander Zverev, rector of the Velikoretskaya church from 1994 to 2005, said that another ancient miracle happened when the builders who laid the foundation of the church at the site of the appearance of the icon in the morning found logs far from this place. This was repeated for several days. And one more amazing event: in 1554 a great fire destroyed the cathedral, in which the Velikoretskaya shrine was located, but the icon was not damaged. A year later, the image made its first journey to the place where the icon was found in the procession. The Velikoretskaya icon was seen off with great honor. She visited Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod. Ivan the Terrible met the image in the capital. The king decided to consecrate the chapel of St. Basil's Cathedral in honor of the Vyatka saint. Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, in the difficult years of Russian unrest, also asked to bring the icon to Moscow.
Types of procession
The procession can be dedicated to one or another miraculous event, an important date. Church holiday (for example, Easter). Can pass through an important area for people to consecrate it with universal prayer
It may vary along the route. Both in the length of the route and in the shape. So sometimes believers go in circles. Such a procession with an icon does not happen by chance. The circle is a symbol of infinity, Eternal life, which the Lord gives us.
But the procession can also have an end point. Like the path of Christ to Golgotha, when he was accompanied by his disciples, or the path of the myrrh-bearing women to the Tomb of Christ.
Together with the icons in the prayer procession in front, people carry the Cross. Therefore, the move is called the “godfather”. This custom is not only in the Orthodox, but also in the Catholic Church.
Procession of the Catholics
The very first procession, without realizing it, was made by Emperor Constantine I the Great. He saw the Cross in the sky and the words “By this you conquer”. The emperor ordered to make banners and shields with the image of the Crucifixion, and so his army went to the enemy. Now this role is played during the procession of the banners.
Basically, processions are performed by:
- For big church holidays
- To consecrate places where Orthodox miracles took place
- For the burial of the dead
- To ask for salvation in times of trouble or drought in places where rain is needed (for example)
Missionary work also plays a special role. So, thanks to the Velikoretsky cross procession, many local residents from nearby villages could join the ancient church tradition and pray.
The procession usually goes against the sun.
Prayer procession is now performed not only on foot. So the procession is carried out by Orthodox, difficult sections, and the waterways are sailed on boats. Therefore, in this case, the word "move" has only a formal meaning.
The procession can be not only for adults, but also for children. Some dioceses hold a special one.
It is also done for. In the Kursk diocese, a religious procession is held with sign language translation for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Annual religious processions in Russia
Procession - prayer procession with an icon
Velikoretsky cross procession
Usually the most numerous. It is held from 3 to 8 June each year. The number of pilgrims is in the tens of thousands. So in 2008 they counted 30 thousand people. The procession starts from Kirov, goes to the village of Velikoretskoye and returns again to Kirov. This procession is considered the most difficult in terms of length and features of the route.
George's procession
They take place annually in St. Petersburg. A prayer procession with the icon of St. George is held to honor the memory of those who died in the Great Patriotic War.
Procession in memory of all New Martyrs and Confessors of Russiaconducted by the Saratov diocese. It is dedicated to the memory of those who died during the persecution of the Church by the Soviet authorities. Then the inhabitants of the cave monastery were killed.
Religious procession "The path of St. Sergius"
The religious procession "The path of St. Sergius" goes through the Radonezh land. The prayer procession with the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh passes through places that are associated with earthly life and miracles through the prayers of St. Sergius.
Volga procession
The Volga religious procession is organized in the Tver diocese. It goes from the source of the Volga to the Dnieper and the Western Dvina, the first Volga procession was held with the blessing of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II.
Easter Procession: rules and meaning
The service begins on the evening of Holy Saturday. The Midnight Office performs first. This part of the service is filled with sorrow for the earthly sufferings of the Savior. The shroud of Christ (plate with the image of Christ in the Tomb) is fumigated with a censer and moved to the altar. She will remain on the throne until the Feast of the Ascension. Next up is Easter Sunday. The joyful and solemn ringing of bells announces the coming Resurrection of Christ.
The procession is also held on Easter
It is then that the prayer procession for Easter begins. The temple is walked around three times, stopping at its doors. The procession is at the door of the temple. The doors are closed. This is a symbol of the stone that blocked the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher. For the third time, the doors of the temple open, the stone falls, and we hear the Bright Matins. The festive singing of bells during the procession on Easter is one of the most complex types of bell ringing, which is called “chime”. If you have heard the expression “the ringing of bells”, then we are talking primarily about the Easter service and the ringing during the prayer procession. The bells in the temple do not always ring.
The meaning of the procession for an Orthodox person
In Church life, there are external traditions and rituals that contribute to spiritual growth inside, in the soul of a person. A prayer procession with an icon (a religious procession) is a new spiritual experience for a Christian, an opportunity to rethink a lot, ask the saints for intercession before the Lord, healing or answers to questions that torment a person. This experience cannot be acquired by the power of thought, no knowledge can give it, the experience that prayers and unity with brothers and sisters in faith give is absolutely unique. In many ways, the procession is also a sacrifice that Christians bring to the Lord.
150 km of the Velikoretsky Cross Procession is a difficult test. The procession awakens a special religious feeling in the souls of even people. One cannot remain a Christian only at the liturgy; a Christian believes in the Lord and tries to live according to his commandments even outside the walls of the church. And when church life goes beyond the walls of the temple, for example, in a prayer procession with an icon, even if this is a difficult path, it is useful for the believer to participate in it.
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Elder Jonah of Odessa
Unfortunately, many of today's Christians, and even some of the priests, do not know the grace-filled power of the Orthodox Cross Procession, do not understand its meaning and significance, both for each individual person and for the world in general. Moreover, the word "peace" here can be read both as "for peace - against war", and in the understanding of "the whole world", as the whole land, country, city, area in which it is held.
It has long been noted - and our pious ancestors used this - that after the Procession with a prayer service, there were good harvests, unfavorable weather conditions stopped: the Lord gave rain after a drought, or, conversely, the sun came out and the continuous rains stopped, threatening floods. Moreover, miraculous healings took place, both of the participants and 
those for whom they prayed, epidemics, outbreaks of the plague stopped. During the military invasions, our ancestors also resorted to the help of the Procession - with a conciliar, repentant prayer, they asked for forgiveness of sins and intercession from God's Heavenly Forces.
Where the procession took place, the area is consecrated. If we had spiritual vision open, we could see how the space is literally cut by the procession, everything sinful and evil disappears, and the whole area is literally filled with God's Grace.
Modern elders say that while the processions are going on, the Lord will not allow war". And recently reposed in God Elder Jonah of Odessa (+2014), shortly before his death, said that " Ukraine will be saved by the Processions of the Cross”. Here is a topic for you to think about - do you need the Processions of the Cross, how to relate to them, whether to participate in them - at least a little, as they say, from everyone according to their strength - or can participate - meet affably (after all, the Savior Himself, the Mother of God, the Saints on icons, banners, and invisibly coming), to feed, place, if necessary, for the night, etc. And if local, one-day religious processions have such power and beneficial significance, then what is the use of multi-day ones, such as "Kamenets-Podolsky - Pochaev", "Bravilovo - Pochaev", "Toplovo - Feodossia", etc.? After all, here a Christian already enters into a kind of feat - he endures bad weather, everyday inconveniences, his imperfections, which will certainly manifest themselves, learns to see his neighbor, and not only himself, learns humility, prayer, and hope in God's help.
Vladyka Kamyanets-Podilskyi and Gorodotsky Theodore in 2007, before the start of the Pochaev Cross Procession, he said the following words: “ The procession is a spiritual feat, a feat that presupposes faith, and therefore reveals to the believer the possibilities and the world that opens up through this feat. And he also said, admonishing the crusaders: “The joint prayer that you will perform during the pilgrimage is, perhaps, the most important thing that will be performed during your six-day journey to the Pochaev Lavra. Pilgrimage is not tourism, it is an inner spiritual feat, invisible to others, but understandable to those who perform it. In this invisible spiritual feat, prayer is and remains the main thing.
Vladyka Pochaevsky Vladimir said: “You look at the procession, and you understand that our Faith is alive. By this blessed, hard work they glorify God, and it must be said that the Queen of Heaven has always covered them and is covering them with Her cover... The path to the Kingdom of Heaven is thorny, we are weak, we fall, we rise, we fall again, we rise again ... The procession depicts the path of a Christian to the Kingdom of Heaven, with their personal work, good deeds, people tread a path to the Kingdom of Heaven. Prayers on the road are served to strengthen ours; prayer is a conversation with God. The Lord says What you ask in prayer is what you will receive. Therefore, they express their desires, requests, and the Lord hears them. It must be said that prayer in the procession has a special power. Previously, they went out to the fields with the Procession of the Cross, asking for harvest, rain, and the Lord gave them according to the conciliar prayer. They did not have time to return home with icons and banners, as it was already raining.
So during this procession, one can observe that some people ask for what they receive - the sick are healed, the weak are strengthened, those who have some kind of weakness, they leave them, they say goodbye to them. We see great miracles happening.”
Indeed, the main thing in the procession is prayer. Prayer asks for help, without it there is no way, we are very weak in ourselves. And the crusaders also know that during the Procession the Heavens are literally open, God heeds their prayers - healings are performed, miraculous help comes in the fight against passions, in some household needs, and help to the family for whom they pray.
Therefore, if there is prayer, there will be patience, and grace-filled help, and an uplifted, joyful state of mind. Yes, this is a kind of feat, and carrying your cross after the Cross of Christ, and the Lord allows you to endure calluses, and heat, and cold. But by giving the cross, the Lord also gives strength to bear it. With His help, everything is arranged and overcome, and only a feeling of satisfaction and happiness remains, and one desire - to repeat everything again.
In order to understand what the procession is, they need to go through. And the one who passes at least once with the procession will strive to pass more, and more ...
And this applies not only to multi-day, but also one-day religious processions - and prayer, and patience, and grace, and help, and healing.
For example, we can talk about the miracle of healing that occurred after participating in the four-day procession of the Cross, which was held in Dnepropetrovsk before the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos in 2015. The last, fourth day is the worsening of weather conditions, underfoot where there is snow, where there is ice, it is slippery, cold, windy, and ahead is more than twenty kilometers of the way - from Pobeda, through the South Bridge, through Pridneprovsk, Ksenievka to Odinkovka. And, on this very day, grandmother Eva came from a nearby village to participate in our penitential procession. As it turned out later, with sick, swollen legs, and with a chronically sore lower back, since, at one time, she worked as a milkmaid for a long time ... And now they call from her with gratitude - her legs stopped hurting, swelling subsided, and most surprisingly, she stopped hurting , how many years tormenting, the back, the pain from the lower back is gone! She says, - I walk and wonder myself, - nothing hurts, God's grace healed miraculously! And she also admitted that for the next three days, before the feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos, she, and those close to her, heard a fragrance that clearly emanated from her.
I would also like to add on my own that even if there had not been this healing, the patience and willpower of this old grandmother, when she was offered to leave the route earlier so that it would not be through force, because how difficult, and even slippery boots, she did not agree, I kept repeating, I will reach the end, - all the participants of this move remembered. But the Lord did not leave her without His attention! You know what I once said Rev. Amphilochius Pochaevsky (+1970) when he was asked why some people are blessed and others are not. – Everything depends on patience, the more a person endures, the more grace he receives! So in our case, the Lord confirmed the truth of the words of His saint, showed us that He is close, near, and always ready, according to our faith, to come to our aid.
L. Ochai
01.01.2017
