The restrictions limit foreign pilgrims to 300 monthly permits, while maintaining unrestricted access for Greek and Cypriot visitors.
The 45-mile procession was planned to pass through five cities and villages, ending in the Gagauzia capital of Comrat.
A grave act of vandalism that shook the Christian community in Olbia has been resolved after the perpetrator voluntarily surrendered to authorities and confessed to breaking into the historic Santa Croce Church and destroying sacred religious items.
More than a dozen local residents were baptized at two parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church’s African Exarchate on May 31, the feast of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils.
A powerful 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck the historic Orthodox monastic community of Mt. Athos on Saturday afternoon, causing damage to the Simonopetra Monastery and other sacred sites on the peninsula.