Processionist on the persecution of the Church: Persecutors unite us

A participant of the procession. Photo: UOJ

The UOC believer, a participant in the procession, believes that the obstacles for pilgrims who are prevented from going to Pochaiv by the local authorities are God's mercy.

Galina (this is the pilgrim's name) told a UOJ correspondent that this is the third time she has participated in the procession to pray for peace in Ukraine, for the salvation of her soul, as well as for those who persecute the Church.

"It is very unfortunate that we are not allowed to just walk, and pray. We are not enemies on this earth. I was born on this land and I have never left Ukraine. This is my land. And it is very unfortunate that we are not allowed to pass... The reason is not clear. Even those who don't let us in don't understand it," says Galina.

She said that the procession from Kamyanets-Podilskyi to Pochaiv is more than 180 years old, and it has never stopped: "People were walking from stack to stack, hiding, but they were walking. There will be a procession, there will be the Orthodox faith, and there will be the Orthodox Church until the Saviour comes. And where will those who persecute be?" the woman asks.

"God is the Judge of all. And bow down to you, our persecutors, for the fact that you have united us so much, for God getting closer to us, for feeling the Mother of God. God grant you to feel how close the Mother of God is," Galina said.

As reported, the resident of the village Zhvanet of the Kamyanets-Podilsky, Khmelnytskyi region, whose husband died at the front, spoke about the curses of "activists" to the cross procession.

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