100 thousand believers took part in Cross procession in Kiev

By preliminary estimate, the celebrations on the occasion of the feast of the Baptism of Rus on July 27 was attended by more than 80 thousand Orthodox believers, reports the Information and Education Department of the UOC. 

After the prayer service on the Vladimir Hill, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine, together with the bishops and clergy, led the many thousands Procession with the miraculous shrines to the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. 

The procession stretched for a distance of at least 3 kilometers, with a width of not less than 20 metres. Accordingly, the area of the prayer procession was not less than 60 000 square meters. Therefore, according to the minimum estimates, from 80 to 100 thousand people participated in the Cross Procession in the capital. 

The numerous procession passed through the central streets of Kiev. At the cross in Hrushevskogo Street, His Beatitude together with all the clergy and laity, prayed for the repose of the souls of all who died during the tragic events of February 2014. 

The All-Ukrainian Cross Procession was accompanied by miracle-working icons: the Svyatogorsk icon of the Virgin became the main shrine of the eastern wing, while the Pochaev image of the Mother of God came from the west. These and other revered icons from the East, West, South and North Ukraine were brought on the Vladimir Hill. The celebration was also attended by the holy icons "Blessing of the Holy Mountain Athos," and St. Anthony of the Caves, which have been delivered to Ukraine by the official delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by the Primate and the brethren of the Holy Mountain specially for the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of ancient Russian monasticism on Mount Athos. 

We will remind that today at 17:00 the All-night Vigil is celebrated in the square in front of the Dormition Cathedral of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, and tomorrow at 9:00 am – the Divine Liturgy. These days you can worship all the shrines of the celebrations.

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