Rivne, July 30, 2019
Photo: rivne.church.ua
The Baptism of Rus’ is one of the most important holidays in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, and is traditionally celebrated with cross processions.
While the most famous of these processions is the All Ukrainian Cross Procession in Kiev, which attracted over 300,000 people this year, such processions happen all across the lands of Rus’.
One such procession happened on July 28, in Rivne, Western Ukraine, which also attracted a large crowd, as the press service of the Rivne diocese reports.
The procession took place with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Bartholomew of Rivne and Ostrog.
Photo: rivne.church.ua
Divine services were led by Archpriest Mikhail Zharovsky, the dean of the churches of the Rivne Diocese’s Central Deanery. Also serving was the dean of the Northern Deanery, Archimandrite Vasily (Vashchik), the dean of the Southern Deanery, Archpriest Valery Kapitanyuk, and other priests who arrived for the celebrations.
The faithful prayed together to the Lord, His Most Pure Mother, and the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Prince Vladimir, that the Lord would preserve the Holy Orthodox Church, as well as Ukraine, and the city of Rivne.
Photo: rivne.church.ua
Cross processions such as these are always excellent opportunities for faithful to publicly display their support for the canonical Church in a very powerful and visible way.
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Matfey Shaheen
