Cross procession to Josaphat Valley gathers about 35 000 believers (PHOTOS)

On August 15, a traditional religious procession to the Josaphat Valley was led by the Primate of the UOC Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, His Beatitude Onufry. According to a UOJ correspondent, the number of pilgrims was about 35,000 people.

The cross procession began at 8:00 with a moleben in the church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki of the village of Golichintsy, Shargorod district. At 9:30 on the site of the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Primate of the UOC led the festive Liturgy.

In his sermon, His Beatitude Onufry said that each of us bears their cross, and the Lord gives it to us within our strength. And you should never be jealous, believing that someone’s cross is not so heavy.

The Josaphat Valley is a shrine of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to the legend, on August 15, 1923, in this place, above the holy spring, the Holy Mother of God appeared to the monk Jacob. She called, "Praise Christ, put up crosses!" Now there are thousands of crosses in the Josaphat Valley.

During the current religious procession, believers also brought and put up dozens of new crosses.