Pilgrims of Cross Procession-2017 will be a few thousand more, – UOC (VIDEO)

Archpriest Sergei Veigo, dean of the Cemetery Deanery of the UOC of Kyiv and one of the organizers of the Procession-2017, told the UOJ correspondent what a religious procession in honor of the Baptism of Rus is going to be like this year.

"The procession is dediccated to an event of utmost importance for our country, namely, to the Commemoration Day of Prince Vladimir of Equal-to-the-Apostles," said Archpriest Sergei Veigo. “The Prince is not accidentally called Equal-to-the-Apostles, because he is equal to the apostles, those disciples of the Lord who enlightened entire nations. So Prince Vladimir is an enlightener of our people. This year, as in the past, it is planned to place pilgrims in the temples and monasteries of the city of Kiev. And while two years ago, when there was the first procession, we were looking for volunteers, now the volunteers are looking for us."

Father Sergiy said that those who want to help with the event organization have been calling since May and are interested in: when will they be involved.

"In this Cross Procession, participation of representatives of different Orthodox Churches is anticipated," the priest continued. “Whereas there were not a lot of them last year, this year there will be several buses. First of all, pilgrims from the Republic of Belarus – two buses (more than a hundred people), about 100 people will come from Moldova. There will be representatives of the Balkan and other Churches."

According to the priest, the last Cross Procession really showed the unity of Orthodox people, because nothing unites like prayer.

"For many people the procession ends on July 28, for me last year it ended probably in mid-August," Father Sergiy said. “A lot of people felt grateful. A man from Kharkov rang and asked to send regards to the married couple who had provided night accommodation for him. And this was not our initiative. It's the people who made this decision: do not just feed and place pilgrims in a temple, but take them to your home. Together, they may read the rules for the Holy Communion and in the morning go to the Divine Liturgy at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra."

Archpriest Sergei Veigo noted that according to his calculations this year there will be more pilgrims.

"At least a few thousand more people plan to come to Kiev from the regions," said the organizer. “Almost all monasteries receive pilgrims. This is the Kitayskaya monastery, and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the Cyril Monastery, the Intercession Nunnery, the Goloseyevo hermitage, the Florovsky Monastery, the last having expressed the desire to accept a few buses more. If the temple does not accept pilgrims because of the fact that it is located in the hospital or within another institution, it participates in preparing food at least, so that the parishioners of this temple take pilgrims to their lodging for the night.”

Father noted that during the procession, families sometimes were set up.

"One priest found my phone number and invited me to the wedding," father Sergiy said. "I did not know this man." I asked him, "Are we acquainted?" And he said that he sent his son to the procession, he met there a girl, and now it is six months since they got married."

The religious procession-2017 will be held on July 27. Pilgrims will start arriving in Kiev on July 26.