Procession - what is it and why is it needed? What time does the Easter service in the temple begin and end.

The mention of the first religious processions is found in Old Testament. Among them are the journey of the sons of Israel from Egypt to the promised land, the procession around the ark of God, the circumambulation of the walls of Jericho, the transfer of the ark of God by David and Solomon.

Religious processions are regular (or calendar) and extraordinary. Regular processions take place on certain days. They take place several times a year in honor of shrines and great church events, for example, the Velikoretsky Cross Procession, which takes place annually in early June, etc.

Calendar processions also take place on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, on Easter, on the feast of the second Savior for the blessing of water. During procession a bell ringing is called, which is called a blagovest. Priests are required to wear liturgical robes.

Extraordinary processions gather in times of distress, for example, during times of war, famine, epidemics, natural disasters. Such processions are accompanied by intense prayers for salvation.

The procession can last for several minutes, or several days, or even weeks or months. In this case, people stock up on food to eat during stops, and also take with them bedding for the night, waterproof raincoats, reliable shoes and necessary medicines that may be needed on the way.

Processions can take place both on land and in the air. The clergy take with them all the necessary attributes on board the aircraft and, while reciting a prayer, sprinkle the city with holy water during the flight. In addition, there are sea religious processions, when the clergy perform prayers or memorial services on board a ship or other vessel.

To take part in the procession means to accept spiritual purification and remind other people of the power of the Orthodox faith, since this procession symbolizes the bearing of one's cross and following the word of the Savior.

Sources:

• website of the Sayan Church of the Annunciation

AT Orthodox Christianity there are many traditions. One of these are religious processions, performed on special solemn occasions. public holidays.

The practice of religious processions is very ancient history. Ever since the establishment of Christianity as the main religion of the Roman Empire (4th century), religious processions have been firmly integrated into church liturgical life.

The procession is a procession of believers with icons, external crucifixes and banners through the streets of the settlement. Religious processions are a visible symbol of the testimony of the Orthodox faith before people. Such processions can be carried out not only along the streets of a city or village, but simply around the temple. At the same time, the clergy and the choir sing certain prayers, and passages from the Holy Scriptures are read.

According to the liturgical Ordinance Orthodox Church religious processions are performed during patronal temple feasts. Also, the move can be carried out on other memorable church dates. The execution of the procession can be determined by the rector of a particular temple.

Religious processions can also take place on days when various shrines arrive in the city. For example, miraculous icons of the Mother of God. In this case, the clergy and the people can march with miraculous icon from one city temple to another. Processions of the cross can also be made to holy springs. When believers come to the holy spring, a water-blessing prayer service is performed.

The main component of the procession is the prayer of believers. Each participant in such a procession should silently pray for their needs, as well as the needs of their neighbors. In addition, during the religious processions, a prayer is carried out for the entire population of the city or village.

Velikoretsky procession is called the most famous and most difficult pilgrimage route in Russia.

Six days, 150 kilometers. On foot, behind the found icon.

The image was found in 1383, on the banks of the Velikaya River. It is there that the icon is sent from Kirov, and then goes back, in a different way.

Here is what they write in the dictionaries: “Until the 20s of the 20th century, the image of Nikolai Velikoretsky was in the cathedral of the city of Vyatka, and the procession began from here. After the destruction of the cathedral, the icon disappeared. From the 30s to the 90s of the last century, the Velikoretsky cross procession was banned, but believers, despite the ban, went to the holy place all the years. In 1999, the centuries-old tradition was revived, and in 2000, by decree of Patriarch Alexy II, the Velikoretsky Cross Procession was given the status of an All-Russian.

This year there were 90,000 pilgrims

Thus, the list of the found icon travels to the Velikaya River.

Once upon a time, the procession was made on the water, here is a photograph.

Now tens of thousands of people make this journey along the roads of the Kirov region. This year there were 90,000 pilgrims.

Why

I'm not exactly a religious person. Still, people walk this path with prayer. And maybe I just feel warmth from that “Orthodox side”.

We are met by an epic-looking monk. Leaning on a staff, looking seriously. Does not say anything. But the sensations, of course ... Worse than face control.

Nearby is a mobile storage room. I hand over half of my backpack and look around. There are tents. These are the pilgrims who arrived earlier. I also find buckwheat porridge and sweet tea- everyone is fed before the road. Well, thank you!

I'm going to the monastery. The people are gathering. In the old days they would say: "people flock". People are very different: young and old, rich and poor, men and women, children. I saw a large Izhevsk chief in the crowd; in addition, the director of the Izhevsk yoga center; in addition, foreigners - Germans, Serbs, Ukrainians. Here is a woman who came from Odessa. It is difficult for her to stand - age. Sits on a bench. "How will you go?" - I say. "FROM God's help. As much as I can."

Take out the icon. A prayer service begins, an akathist is sung to St. Nicholas, with whom one has to go this way. Festive, solemn. The sun is scorching, but the difficulties are not thought of. I'm ready, but with such rather youthful enthusiasm.

Governor of the Kirov region Nikita Belykh and Metropolitan Mark of Vyatka and Sloboda address with a welcoming speech. I don’t see them, but only hear that the procession is an act of love: “Go not for yourself, go with love: share your lodging for the night, feed the hungry - this will be your cross. What are we about them if we can’t give anything to anyone?” The crowd is humming and I can make out last words: "Good luck, behind the Velikoretsky icon, the miraculous power of which shone more than six centuries ago! .."

The procession is a work of love: go not for yourself, go with love

A huge river of people enters the streets of Kirov. Passing the streets of Sovetskaya, Lenin, Rosa Luxembourg, past the signs "Rolls and Sushi", as well as "Spare Parts to Order", thousands of Orthodox religious processions are going on.

Next to him is a man with a hangover - shaking, smells, of course, of fumes. Cloudy eyes, plastic bag in hand. On the other hand, there is a mother with four children, one of them she is carrying in a stroller. I saw her the next day, and then again. They seem to have gone all the way.

An hour and a half later, the first halt was at the Trinity Church. A prayer service is being served. After it, many pilgrims line up to venerate the icon.

Having read that I urgently need to lay out rugs at the halts and lie down - to save strength, I’m already laying out, but some girl tells me that there are dry closets over there, and there they distribute water, and then all this may not be for a long time. I run for water, I lie down again to "save my strength", but, frankly, I have no idea how it is possible to walk 150 kilometers in six days.

I certainly feel like a pioneer on a mission.

We go all day. They were afraid of cold, rain, but no - the sun is shining. It bakes, and when we walk for an hour and a half on the asphalt uphill. Here, perhaps, this was the first difficulty. Talking is not blessed. Pilgrims during the course read prayers, an akathist to St. Nicholas. Someone does it quietly or to himself, and sometimes whole groups begin to sing.

This is so unusual for me that more and more often I start to think: “What am I doing here? Who signed me up here?" The situation is complicated by the fact that giving up easily was not part of my plans. And somewhere in the ranks is a friend with her friend. How can I get off the first day? Well, I go, I listen, I look, I remember those who told me before the move: “You will definitely pass. There is no doubt." Let's see.

Meanwhile, the heat intensifies. Suddenly we see: a battery of water bottles is stacked on the road. Maybe a thousand pieces. The pilgrims take one at a time and pass the bottles down the rows.

Let's go, we'll be patient. The first rows are almost running. I walk fast, so with my backpack I also pace right behind the choristers.

Finally we enter the village of Bobino. This will be our first overnight stay.

I noticed that, despite six o'clock in the evening, the houses were closed, the windows were curtained. They say that in last years a lot of people walk around, everyone is noisy, everyone is looking for an overnight stay, sometimes too persistently, so now you can spend the night with the locals only by prior arrangement.

I am somewhat discouraged by the new sensation. Here I went a long way. Hard way. You need to get a diploma somewhere, while someone will tell you: “Well done, pioneer and excellent student Olya! Here's a badge for you, and let's clap!" You can go home and go to bed. But nothing like it. No one is shocked, no one applauds. Expectations are not justified. Obviously there is something else here. Some kind of internal border needs to be pushed back.

It is possible to arrange an overnight stay in a large army tent.

But you need to get dinner, and you also need to bring a heavy bag from the storage room - there is a sleeping bag, toothpaste, a mug and a spoon. Soldiers distribute food - buckwheat porridge, soup and delicious herbal tea. However, everything is delicious.

The temple in Bobbin is small, fine, standing on a hill. While I was rushing about with the arrangement of domestic issues, the service ended. But still turn - to the icon. I appeared in front of her.

It's clear and warm outside. I would like to stay in this place, but other pilgrims are already pushing back. I go for water, to which there is also a queue.

On halts, people willingly share their impressions, talk about themselves

Communication is easy here. Yet at the same time. You don’t talk a lot during the walk, but on halts people willingly share their impressions, talk about themselves.

Here is a man from Moscow. He goes to the ninth time. Well, I ask, is there a result? Yes, I haven't smoked for two years. There are other results, but they are very personal.

Here is a woman from Kirov. Her daughter is due to give birth in a week or two: “I’m going for her so that she can feel better.”

I go to bed at 21:00. Passed 17 kilometers. Experienced pilgrims say that tomorrow is the longest and hardest crossing.

Wake up at 2:00, exit at 3:00. The church has its own schedule. Meadows and forests. Moon and forests.

Pilgrims can also carry the icon. Men, of course. It's best if there are three of them at once.

We go, prayer singing is heard - here and there. I somehow got used to it, I listen.

The first halt, I lay out the rug in a minute and immediately fall asleep for 40 minutes.

It's hot, it's hard to go. And morally too. Time slowed down and for the second day it froze at one point. All life consists of the fact that you go-go-go-go. It is not known when this path will end. Maybe in six months?

Divine services are held at every halt. And I, who at first used the time for sleep, began to come closer to the icon. Since she continued to walk in the forefront, she was in time for the beginning of the prayer service. And gradually something began to change, by itself, without tension. As if there was warmth and protection, peace and quiet. It can be called in one word - grace.

At about 10:00 we approach the village of Zagarye. Ten in the morning is not so much, but it means that we are on the road for seven hours, and still go and go - until eight in the evening. My only dream is to sit down somewhere and nibble on my bread and energy bars. A man by the road sells water, I manage to buy a bottle. Finally Zagare. The same closed houses with curtained windows. On one, to be sure, there is an inscription: "Do not go behind the gate: the owners are not at home." And we don't go. We waddle further.

At big house A local man is standing in front of the church, smiling, inviting to enter, and I see: not all, but some pilgrims turn off. Well, I turned - a turn, another turn - I find myself on a large area in front of the house.

And I see a set table with a three-course dinner. The woman invites you to eat. The other one helps her.

The family - of their own free will and on their own - prepared for the pilgrims food, medicines, showers, boiling water in two huge vats

The family - by their own will and on their own - prepared for the pilgrims: food (two types of soups, pilaf, porridge, tea, coffee), medicines, toilets, showers, boiling water in two huge vats, drinking water (six new taps especially for pilgrims) . And, of course, she did not ask for money for this.

Oleg and Tatyana and, obviously, the mother of one of them - three people - vied with each other inviting: settle down, relax, you are going this way!

And here, friends, I begin to cry, naturally shed tears. I did not expect such a powerful support to turn around an unknown turn. It was so hard to go. I stand with this soup and cry.

Trying not to philosophize, I go and settle down with my dinner under sea buckthorn.

And Oleg and Tatyana in response to our question: how can we thank you? - they only ask to pray for their daughter, so that everything will be fine with her; Thank God, she has now entered the university she wanted to.

“I,” I say, “Oleg, now I will never forget you.”

The path of the second day is really difficult. It seems to me that it is also difficult because you have to go through abandoned villages, see strong houses where there is no life.

At the end of the day - the first calluses on the legs. Legs and shoulders hurt.

They say that the best shoes are woolen socks with bare feet plus sandals. But actually, I also prepared: orthopedic insoles plus all-terrain volunteer sneakers (thanks to the Olympics in Sochi!), And then for two more days I walked in light rubber boots and these same woolen socks.

We arrive for the night in the village of Monastyrskoye.

I go to the temple, the bells are ringing, right at the entrance. Like a portable belfry, or something.

Fatigue is such that you seem to be in another dimension, a little crazy. In addition, there is nowhere to sit down, only on the ground (the so-called “seat”, which is attached below the waist, was very useful). Pilgrims can be recognized by their gait: they waddle like ducks. And also on green legs: medicine generously pours them with brilliant green on halts. More than 35 km covered.

The organizers make sure that people are fed. At least once a day - hot food, tea, boiling water. They also try to arrange lodging for the night in large army tents. Plus toilets. Even if at some times something is missing, and there are huge queues everywhere (every year the number of pilgrims increases), you still feel a good attitude. And you are very grateful. Thank God for everything! And in the queues, as I said, there is an opportunity to talk, find out who is coming from where, how many times they are coming and how everything was in previous years. You can also get support there: come on, sister, you will reach with God's help. In general, I was on the move without any company, without interlocutors, more precisely, on this journey there was another Interlocutor, and this opportunity to communicate with people - on halts, in places of lodging for the night - brought us together and made us one force.

Then it turns out that some pilgrims even ended up in a bathhouse. Lucky ones!

I again settle down in a common tent. Nearby is a man of about 60, in dirty shoes - on his own and on my rug. Pants are dirty too. I say: "Now you will dirty both yourself and me." And I stand, I rise above it. How are we supposed to sleep next to each other?

A woman rises from the rug opposite: “What are you doing ?! Yes, this is my grandfather. Look how good he is! We'll all get settled now." He speaks with love. Grandfather is offended: "We have two daughters, like her - 34 and 42 years old." - “What are you, this young one at all. How old are you, twenty years old? “Yeah,” I say. - Like this". “Ugh,” the grandfather turns away. - No one to even talk to. Greens!"

In the morning they both ask me how I slept, if everything is all right. "Yes talking. - Forgive me". I go further and think how good it is that I managed to say these two words to them.

I begin to notice that life is built differently. Forces are distributed according to completely different laws.

I begin to notice that life is built differently. Forces are distributed according to completely different laws.

You come, settle down for the night, and at 21:00 you seem to be turned off, you fall asleep immediately, without dreams, on the floor, on the rug, and in the end in any company.

I notice that I have no problem getting up at two in the morning and going out at three in the morning.

That my back ached before the move, especially after physical activity, and here there is no hint of pain.

Every now and then I hear that “Nicholas the Wonderworker leads by the hand” for newcomers (option: “carries in his arms”). Maybe so. I feel protected. Among many and many thousands of people. Protection, of course, was quite visible: doctors, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the police with dogs were with us all the days of the journey.

But it is quite clear that some other power source is turned on here.

I'm going through the mud. We go through forests, meadows, fields. Everyone carries backpacks, some pilgrims with children. Every day we travel for sixteen hours.

I suddenly start thinking about the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, about the infantry. We are going - we know where, we know that in a few days we will board trains and go home, and they? We walked, and it is not known when everything will end, and it is not known whether you will be alive. How did they endure, where did they get strength, how did they save themselves, how did they strengthen their spirit? You begin to understand a lot, or rather, feel it in your gut, when you walk like this for several days with a backpack under the scorching sun, in the rain, through the mud. I also remembered barge haulers on the Volga.

Lonely temple in the village of Gorohovo. Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. At the temple soviet difficult story. And the village is almost gone. There are no residential buildings nearby.

They say that worship is performed here three times a year, during religious processions.

Near the source. You can take a dip and get some water.

Service in the temple. And outside - strong men and several boilers with buckwheat porridge. In one such - 50 kg of cereals. They feed us and give us tea.

I want to talk about the atmosphere of the course. One of the most frequent words- "sorry". Outbursts of anger, if they happen, do not find continuation, do not result in quarrels. General internal concentration and goodwill are stronger than irritation. A woman with a child is in line at the source. He is capricious, shouting, and the woman, obviously thinking that she is using a pedagogical technique, urges: “Can you do it even louder? What else? The child comes in. The parent smiles happily for some reason. Finally, one of the pilgrims says: "I'm sorry, but my head already hurts, to be honest." And the mother begins to yell at this woman, but then, having stopped short, she hurries to leave, together with the child, without standing in line. This contrast is very noticeable here, in use. AT " ordinary life", I think there would be a scandal. And here it is simply inappropriate - so sort things out.

There is a special atmosphere here: one of the most frequent words is “sorry”

There is a big halt in Gorokhovo. You can have time to work, and relax and sleep. And move forward with renewed vigor.

Toward evening we enter the village of Velikoretskoye - here the icon was found many years ago. From this moment, the holidays of the soul begin.

Here's a picture from above. Pilgrims approach the temple after walking a path of 80 kilometers.

I decided to put up a tent myself (here thanks to the TRP, it was not in vain that I passed the tourist standard). I settle down right at the walls of the monastery, and a tent city instantly grows around. You will spend two nights here. More precisely, one and a half.

Pilgrims are unpretentious people. Someone will spend the night on the floor in the temple (it turns out that this is allowed), and someone will wear red sleeping bag on his steps.

I'm going to look around. A festive fair is already waiting for us - lamb sweets, linen dresses, dolls in human height, health products. But from a huge samovar, herbal tea is poured just like that, and the boy reads poetry with great feeling - about this same samovar.

The film crew of the Kultura TV channel is also right there, making a film about the move.

In Velikoretsky, I went to confession for the first time. Of course I was worried.

When my turn comes, I realize with horror that I turn on the journalist, or rather, he turns on himself without asking: “Yes, father, I heard you, but here’s another question ...”

It was midnight (many thousands of people confess to the priests in the temple and on the banks of the Velikaya River), the priest, Father Georgy, could barely stand on his feet, and also selflessly searched for words for me. Surprised by his progressive outlook on life. Surprised and supported, reassured. And blessed.

I do not want to leave, although we have been awake for almost a day. I see the same woman from Odessa whom I met on the first day. Maybe she came here, to Velikoretskoye, on something. He smiles at me: "Well done for coming."

The Liturgy begins. A girl from the pilgrims comes up, says that she can no longer stand: “Can I lean on you?” This is how I remember this service: I stand - and next to me, on her knees, a girl holds on to my hand. And through the open doors you can see how the morning begins.

After communion, I go to the tent and immediately fall asleep.

There is a great celebration in the village - we are celebrating the appearance of the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas. The icon was installed on the banks of the Velikaya River, where it was found. Here are pilgrims, and local residents, and those who came here for the sake of this day - from Kirov, from the region, from everywhere.

By the way, today is Pushkin's birthday. It's also a holiday for me. I celebrate with a large mug of soldier's porridge.

By the way, I noticed several times that you are asking: “It would be nice if the rain stopped, and I would go for porridge,” and the rain stops and resumes as soon as you return to the tent. Or you ask to go a little easier, and strength is added. Such are the quiet conversations.

I'm going to the river. The consecration of the water has already taken place, and the pilgrims are in a hurry to plunge three times.

Locker rooms have been arranged, but there are long queues in them, so that many are naked in front of honest people, near the bushes.

And again, I think, as on the first day, about how close everything is to us: the procession, and Lenin Street, and shame, and debauchery, especially if it is in the world. Young men, and even respectable women, throw off their underwear, and also provoke the police, who keep order, laugh. The young policeman blushes. “Yes,” I say, “you have work today.” He smiles, shrugs his shoulders: they say, anything can happen.

I swim too. So my shirt, brought from India, visited the consecrated waters of the Great River.

Maybe here, in Velikoretsky, for the first time there is a feeling of the path traveled, the work done. My own inner warmth. You no longer need a diploma or a badge.

Some pilgrims end their journey here - this is called "getting off". Everyone chooses a cross according to their strength. But still the majority goes on, completes the circle. Moreover, the way back is easier, as it seems to me.

Going out at two in the morning is not a problem at all now. Even a little early, we line up along the road, waiting for the icon. A woman comes up to me and asks: “Girl, when is the train to Vorkuta?” I have such a look that she hurries to explain: “Well, you are in a Sochi jacket.” (Indeed. Mentally I send one more hello to the Sochi-2014 Organizing Committee: excellent equipment, and the jacket also folds into a soft, very comfortable pillow.) It turns out that there is such a Sochi-Vorkuta train, and many pilgrims arrived on it.

We arrive in the village of Medyany at 14:00. The canon is read. I pass on a note with names dear to me - for health.

And again I feel it - grace, as if the soul straightens up.

But people are tired, hungry (including me) and, having barely defended the service, they run to large vats of pea soup. Yes, there are crazy pilgrims. To save face when you really want to eat is another test.

I will never forget the girl Vika, twelve years old. She helped pour the hot soup

I will never forget the girl Vika, twelve years old. She helped pour the hot soup. Pilgrims, adults, surrounded her and all reached out with their dishes. It was hot, she meekly took mugs, bowls, buckets, filled them with hands trembling from tension (heavy, hot!) and brought them. And there were only more people, and they were all very hungry. At some point, she whispered: “I don’t have time!” There were tears in her eyes, but she did not cry, but only froze for a second and again rushed to the hot vat of soup.

Vikulya, even if you do not read this, may everything always be fine with you. You are a fighter. On that day, many were touched by how innocently and honestly you did your job.

In general, then a woman saved her, also from the distribution, put her on milk, which was intended only for small children.

And one old woman said: “Was it worth it to go so far, to callous your feet, to endure all this, if, just a little, we again turn into ...” And she did not finish.

At 19:00 we go to Murygino. This is no longer a village, but an urban-type settlement, asphalt roads, five-story buildings. Quite a different feeling. Some of the pilgrims are accommodated in the school, there is also a first-aid post, where I hobble on worn-out legs. But nothing - neither domestic difficulties, nor calluses - can overshadow the joy, which, it turns out, grew every day. And continues to grow.

Church under construction in Murygin. There is an iconostasis of incredible beauty, it seems porcelain. To the icon of St. Nicholas, as always, lined up a long line. A lot of local residents. I stand nearby, and I have one feeling: I came with this icon.

I pitch a tent on the banks of the Vyatka. Tomorrow is the last day of the move.

Rise at 2:00, exit at 3:00, after the prayer service. By 9:00 we are already approaching Kirov. You have to walk around the city all day.

Another battery of water bottles. "Whom to thank?" - we ask. We hear: "Thank God"

In front of Kirov there is again a battery of water bottles. And some man. Whom to thank, we ask. Smiling: "Thank God."

We walk across a large wide bridge. The wind is picking up and it's starting to blow. Rugs, bottles, kerchiefs fly away from pilgrims. For me, the “wind bridge” is one of the most powerful, joyful stages: there is space, freedom. New forces appear on this bridge.

We go, and everywhere we are accompanied by the ringing of bells. As a reward for the perfect prayer work, for everything that has been passed.

In the temples through which the pilgrims go, they try to feed everyone tastier. Grannies from the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia (they, grannies, everything is just right there - kind, very responsive) roll out pickles, vinaigrette, kvass, porridge, tea, pea soup, fish soup, squash caviar. Pier mountain! I settle down on the rug with this chic dinner and remember how a cup of soldier's porridge helped us out after a long difficult transition.

We go, we go, we go, again on the asphalt. Hour, another. Again, it's hard, the heat. Residents of Kirov took to the streets, meet. Let's go.

The last fifteen minutes - not even a move, but a flight. You fly, you know that ahead is only joy.

And finally, at four o'clock, we fly up to the Trifonov Monastery, from where we left almost a week ago.

Final prayer. Vladyka Mark blesses everyone and hopes to see you next year.

After the service, we go into the cathedral, fall on the floor and fall asleep for 20 minutes. We barely get up, everything hurts - legs, back, shoulders.

And there is also a pool. Orthodox chants are heard in the queue again. A stately handsome man stands out, I noticed him still in motion: he walked and sang - in such a voice and so sincerely that there was no doubt: this is a priest. It turned out that a programmer from Moscow, Alexei, is attending for the fourth time. Amazing, completely new people for me. Well, as a journalist, I asked him to tell about himself. And he wrote to me:

“What happiness it really is to go along with brothers and sisters in faith. Because that is where God is with us.”

“Once an acquaintance of mine, a rather elderly man who had seen a lot in his lifetime, asked why I was going to the procession. And for a long time I tried to answer this question for myself. The answers were the sea, and all different. The procession sanctifies the land along which people walk, and the people themselves. And Elder Nikolai Guryanov said that Russia would be saved by processions of the cross. Someone goes to pray for their loved ones; many go to ask the saints for something in their lives. In 2012, after returning from the VKH, I already swore not to go here forever. But then, about six months later, my heart ached drearily, I again wanted to see people, see the beauty of the Vyatka lands, enjoy the spiritual triumph. What's going on inside me, I don't know. At that moment, you want to sleep, your legs hurt, and you won’t get good weather, because it’s either too hot, or too cold, or too damp, or too dry. You don’t have time to pray properly, on the way you read prayers completely mediocre and inattentive. You don’t experience the inspiring grace, nor do you experience spiritual unrest. The only goal is to endure and reach. But then only you realize that you actually return home as a different person, weaned from the usual routine of life, along with all the mental rubbish. Only then comes the realization of what happiness really is - to walk along the dusty road with brothers and sisters in faith and endure minor difficulties. Because that is where God is with us.”

The pilgrims gradually disperse, the temple becomes quiet. Softly burning candles, semi-darkness. The icon that we have been following all these days has returned to its place. During this time, she gathered thousands of people around her, and now you can stand alone ...

Afterword

The procession is a practice. You practice malice, humility, the ability to overcome yourself

The procession is a practice. That's what I think you're practicing.

Harmless, non-traumatic communication.

The ability to love.

The ability to overcome oneself, simply to relate to the difficult. You sleep on the ground, on the floor in the temple, you learn to walk like a duck, because everything hurts.

You humble anger, pride - you don’t suppress it in yourself, but as if you let it go without effort. Very often here they say the word "I'm sorry", as I said. And this feeling - peace and joy - you spread like a wave, and you catch it from other people. The procession on the sixth day is very different from what it was on the first.

I remember everyone with whom I had a chance to communicate, and I remember everyone with warmth.

Katerina from St. Petersburg says that from the start you return as from a war - a war with yourself.

There are those who go for the 19th time. I asked: you know that it will be so hard, how are you going again? Pull, they say. Pulls. And then we don't know anything. Every time there is something new here.

Basically, of course, there are devout people. Children, along with adults, sing akathists, they know all the prayers.

Well, you sort of swim in, return to this faith, into which you were baptized many years ago. And much is still incomprehensible, you don’t know much, something is puzzling, but, invariably, if you want it at least a little, you do spiritual work, you feel peace and joy - God’s grace.

What else do you practice?

The ability to trust.

Ability to work long term. Now we must be patient in order to come to the cherished.

In general, this is a very powerful spiritual and physical test. For the first two days, I just hung around with thoughts: “How did I get here?” And then, on the third day, she began to listen, sing quietly along, participate in prayer, create her own conversation with her Interlocutor.

The procession is an open worship service. Worship in nature. The road to living faith. Not to the one where the "pop-thick forehead", but to that energy, to the true force that controls everything. The opportunity to feel in the midst of life.

It is also an opportunity to see your country: people in various manifestations; nature, its power and beauty.

And in the finale, I would also like to add the words that I wrote a few days before the Velikoretsk procession.

And yet the main thing that I know now is that I have to go anyway. Just move your feet, whatever happens. It happened - and you moved. Go.

Procession - pious ancient tradition. However, not everyone knows what its meaning is. The procession is a crowded solemn prayer procession from one temple to another, around the temple or to some designated place, such as a holy spring, with a large altar or outward cross, from which the procession itself received its name. Participants in the procession also carry the Holy Gospel, icons, banners and other shrines of the temple. Priests and clergy make a procession in liturgical vestments. During the procession, liturgical hymns are sung: the troparion of the feast, the irmoses, and sometimes the feast canon (during Paschal week).

The procession is an expression of the common people's faith and fervent prayer to the Lord and Mother of God for the gift of grace to the Church and people.

There were religious processions in the IV century in Byzantium. St. John Chrysostom staged night processions against the Arian heretics 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. Later, in the fight against the heresy of Nestorius, special religious processions were arranged by St. Cyril of Alexandria. In Constantinople, for the consecration of places and the aversion of diseases, they carried the Life-Giving Cross from the imperial palace to the temple of Sophia and carried it through the streets.

In Russia, religious processions were made in times of disaster: a drought that threatened to destroy the crop, plague or cholera epidemics, and threats of enemy attacks. People spent many days on their feet, in fasting and prayer, in the heat or in the rain, but then the grace of the Lord was great. Moral enlightenment, caused by the action of the Holy Spirit, was experienced by everyone.

In the 20th century, it became possible to conduct air religious processions. Oddly enough, the first such overflight of Russian cities took place during the Great Patriotic War, although few people know about it. On December 2, 1941, before the counteroffensive against the Nazi troops that was being prepared, a Li-2 aircraft with the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God flew on board. The plane was driven by Stalin's personal pilot Alexander Golovanov, later Marshal, founder of long-range aviation. This historical moment is reflected in the documentary footage of the film " unknown war", as well as in the memoirs of Alexander Golovanov's relatives.

The procession, along the path of which angels invisibly follow, encloses the settlement, the city and the entire state. An impregnable stronghold, surrounded by a wall of fiery prayer.

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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 meaning, as for everyone specific 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 Powers.

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 Cross Procession, which was held in Dnepropetrovsk before the Feast of the Entry into the Temple Holy Mother of God in 2015. The last, fourth day - worsening weather conditions, where there is snow underfoot, where there is ice, it is slippery, cold, windy, and ahead - 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. - It all depends on patience than more people endures, the greater 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

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 Official pagehttp://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.

Second historical fact, which 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 man walks, realizing that he has 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, 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, repentance, which we bring to God before 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, they were flooded settlements. 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. great post such as travelers. 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 Great Saturday. Naturally, they did not fast during Lent. The post was dedicated to the apostles. These labors that Christians offered for short term Peter's Lent, gave certain results. 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 brought together many intelligent, educated both theologically and historically spiritually experienced people who are preparing proposals regarding the attitude towards Peter's Lent. 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 out such missionary work, 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 them solemn events in which they participate?

it educational event for the children who participate in these moves.

- Is it carried out educational work 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 then, when he goes on a cross-rafting trip, he 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 the TV screen 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 the whole year they get a boost of energy, because 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 deeds then look for the opportunity to communicate, to continue this good deed 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 side, 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, to be embarrassed: after all, everyone is so dressed up, painted, dancing to the music on Children's Day, and we somehow behave differently. But to justify, not to be embarrassed - this is serious challenge. If the child turned out to be capable of this, then there is hope that when tomorrow or the day after tomorrow he will walk along the streets of the same city, pass by the temple, he will not hesitate to overshadow himself sign of the cross. When he is at school and sees some kind of social atrocity, someone from 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, filled with 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, honor, 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 Artyom 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 with 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 Theotokos, 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 one you revere God's saint- to Saint Nicholas, Saint Spyridon, the Holy Great Martyr George, Saints 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, Mother of God and saints and imitate their lives. This helped them become saints themselves and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If, as Christians, we lovingly accept church tradition how children lovingly accept the language spoken by their parents, this will be salutary for us.

Today I was walking down the street and I saw from afar beautiful family: dad is handsome, mom is modestly and beautifully dressed, and two kids. 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 want to return to the topic of Children's Day and to 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 lined 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 Patriarch came up with an initiative in the State Duma that abortions be excluded from the system of compulsory medical insurance, so that abortions are not performed at the expense of the state, 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