Thousands of believers join the all-Ukrainian cross procession at Pochaev Lavra

In the morning of July 9 right after a prayer service at the Dormition Cathedral the all-Ukrainian procession of the cross started from the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra, reports the information and education department of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC MP).

The procession of peace, love and prayer for the Ukraine is headed by Metropolitan Sergy of Ternopil and Kremenets, Metropolitan Vladimir of Pochaev, the Lavra’s abbot, Bishop Seraphim of Shuya, Rector of the Pochaev Theological Seminary.

The all-Ukrainian cross procession of peace, love and prayer for the Ukraine is being held with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All the Ukraine July 3 to 27.

Clergy, monks and thousands of pilgrims are walking with a prayer for peace in the Ukrainian land in their hearts. On their way they are reading Akathists to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Mother of God and saints.

Accompanied by the Pochaev icon of the Mother of God, the procession participants will follow this itinerary: Pochaev – Kremenets – Mezhrechye – Slavuta – Shepetivka – Polonne – Romanov – Chudniv – Korostyshiv – Stavishche – Sitnyaki – Makariv – Kolonshchina – Dmytrivka – Kiev (the Church of St. Theodosius of Chernigov) – Kiev (Vladimirskaya Gorka – “St. Vladimir’s Hill”).

On the first day the faithful will walk seventeen kilometers (about ten and a half miles) and will stop at the Holy Theophany Kremenets Convent.

Six days ago the procession started in the east of the country. On July 3 the faithful setting off from the Holy Dormition Svyatogorsk Lavra walked through the Donetsk region, reached the Kharkiv region and are currently moving towards the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. On July 28, the Day of Baptism of Russia, the two cross processions will meet at the Holy Dormition Kiev Caves Lavra. At the end of the all-Ukrainian cross procession of peace and love a prayer service will be celebrated at Vladimirskaya Gorka (the St. Vladimir’s Hill).

Source: Pravoslavie.ru