Kemerovo, Russia, March 30, 2018
Photo: foma.ru The Siberian city of Kemerovo was the site of a terrible fire on Sunday that broke out in the Winter Cherry shopping mall, claiming 64 lives, including 41 children, and leaving another 44 injured. Condolences have been pouring in from ecclesial and state authorities from throughout the world, and prayers have been lifted up for the victims throughout Russia and around the world.
Of course, those who have lost their loved ones will continue to mourn, but another spiritual consolation for the hurting city of Kemerovo has been announced. According to the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation, the Holy Fire will be carried to the city in the Paschal days after it arrives to Moscow from Jerusalem, reports Interfax-Religion.
The Holy Fire will initially be brought from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where the flame descends from Heaven every year on Holy Saturday, to Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral for the patriarchal Paschal service.
The delegation will be headed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St. Andrew’s Foundation Vladimir Yakunin and His Grace Bishop Irinarch of Krasnogorsk, and will include about 100 public and state figures, priests, cultural figures, journalists, and businessmen. The Fire will be greeted by hundreds of believers at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport, from where it will spread to Moscow and throughout Russia.
It is also planned to deliver the Holy Fire to the UK, Germany, Italy, the USA, and Estonia. The flame will arrive for the beginning of the Paschal service in the London Cathedral of the Dormition of the Sourozh Diocese, and will also be taken to the Cathedral of the Dormition and the Holy Royal Martyrs of the British Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
