Tver, November 7, 2025
Photo: tvereparhia.ru
On November 4, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, thousands of Orthodox faithful participated in a city-wide procession in Tver following Divine Liturgy at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral.
The procession was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrose of Tver and Kashin, His Grace Bishop Theodorite of Venev, and His Grace Bishop Siluan of Rzhev and Toropets. More than 100 clergy took part, along with students from Tver universities and colleges, parishioners from churches of the Tver diocese, and residents and guests of the Tver Province, reports the Tver Diocese.
The Kazan-Volyn icon of the Mother of God was carried in the procession, which traveled along the city’s main street from the Transfiguration Cathedral to the square of St. Prince Michael of Tver. Participants walked to the sound of bells ringing from all churches in Tver and prayerful hymns.
For the first time, representatives of the revived Society of Banner Bearers in honor of Blessed Prince Michael of Tver participated in the procession, carrying newly consecrated banners depicting St. Michael of Tver and St. Anna of Kashin.
At the square near the monument to St. Michael, a moleben was served, and the faithful sang the prayer to the Mother of God “O my mos blessed Queen.”
Photo: tvereparhia.ru
Met. Ambrose addressed the participants, stating that “through the prayers of the Mother of God, Russia stood and will stand, and it is precisely through faith and prayer addressed to the Queen of Heaven that our country has emerged from the most difficult situations in times of turmoil.”
He emphasized that unity begins with faith in God and trust in one another, comparing faith to a fire that must be passed from generation to generation. The Metropolitan called on believers to live as Christians not just in words but in deeds, to be churchgoers in daily life rather than only on major feasts, and to avoid public quarrels and bitter comments on social networks.
“We don’t need public squabbles, caustic comments on social networks, or labeling each other,” he said. “Let us learn to speak to each other in truth, but in the spirit of love.”
Met. Ambrose thanked the participants for their prayers and congratulated everyone on the feast day, urging each person to remember the special maternal intercession of the Mother of God for Christians.
The Divine Liturgy preceding the procession was celebrated by Met. Ambrose with the retired hierarch Metropolitan Victor (Oleynik), Bp. Theodorite and Bp. Siluan, representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church—Archpriest David Chakhvashvili, rector of the Church of Blessed Prince Michael of Tver in Tbilisi, and Deacon Alexander Skhirtladze of the Georgian parish of the Church of the Shestokovo Icon of the Mother of God in St. Petersburg—and clergy of the Tver and St. Petersburg dioceses.
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