How to properly organize a procession. What is a procession really

For ten years, the theme of religious processions in one way or another excites Orthodox Russia. This year is no exception. By the grace of God, the author of the note has been participating, organizing and conducting them for more than five years. The first transition took place in the Urals from in 2001 from Nyrob to Yekaterinburg, in 2002 from Yekaterinburg to Kostroma, the next - in honor of the 100th anniversary of the glorification of St. Seraphim of Sarovsky from Kursk to Diveevo and a two-year tour of the places of military glory from Pskov through Belarus to Prokhorovka and Kulikovo field.

Processions "are performed in order to sanctify people and everything that they need for life: houses, paths, water, air and the earth itself, as trampled and defiled by the feet of sinners. All this so that inhabited cities and villages, and all the country became partakers of Divine Grace, rejecting from itself everything destructive and corruptible "(Tables). They are traditional and new, one-day and multi-day. We will talk about specially organized, long-term religious processions blessed by the archpastors along new routes.

Behind last years they proved to be a special, very necessary (I'll even say - irreplaceable) part of our spiritual life, and the spirit determines everything: the economy, defense, culture, morality ... The spirit is lost - and there is nothing to build morality, laws, the future of the state. There is the grace of the Holy Spirit - it means that there will be honest managers, intelligent military leaders, conscientious citizens, there will be a fair government. Therefore, for every Orthodox person at any place of his ministry - church, state or personal - the words of St. Seraphim of Sarov about the acquisition of the spirit, as the meaning of life, is not just a beautiful metaphor, but a guide to action, to rebirth and salvation.

The procession of the cross is a matter of the Church and therefore must be wholly subordinated to this task. Happens, strategic goal not always fully achieved, but if there is no understanding of the strategy, the tactics will not be correct either. How to get the spirit? The condition for the perception and action of grace, according to the holy fathers, is the fulfillment of the commandments of God and Church statutes. This necessary condition His help in any matter: whether it is a procession, a family, a parish or state building. And without God, every deed turns into mere appearance, into a plausible forgery, into its opposite.

In our wicked time the processions turned out to be living, real evidence of faith. Passing through the dioceses, regions and republics, they contribute to the deep churching of the participants, teach the fulfillment of the commandments, inspire prayer, and bring many people to the Church. good news as before comes to people and how many of them in the Russian outback were baptized, confessed - do not count. People want to participate in them and always participate - from young to old: they meet, show hospitality, hospitality, they themselves go, pray, incl. children, youth, women, old people. The parishioners, our simple compatriots, are trying to provide the procession with everything necessary - lodging for the night, a bathhouse, products from their garden, orchard. This is their contribution, a sacrifice to Christ. Here the word of God becomes a way of life for many. Through the procession and the deeds accompanying it, through good deeds and complicity, the hoped for by us is clearly reborn. the spirit of Christianity.

At all times it was a national holiday, the triumph of Orthodoxy. St. John Chrysostom describes the greatness of this spiritual work in the following way: “What can I say? I am all filled with joy, I ... fly, rejoice and rush about in admiration; I am completely intoxicated with spiritual joy. So ... what can I say? Is it about the zeal of the city? Is it about the gathering of leaders? Is it about the shame of the devil and the defeat of demons? Is it about the power of the Cross? Is it about the triumph of the Church? Is it about the miracles of the Crucified? Is it about the glory of the Father, is it the grace of the Spirit? Is it about the joy of the whole people and the joy of the city? Oh "Is it a gathering of monks, faces of virgins, and ranks of priests? About a multitude of laity, slaves, freemen, chiefs, subordinates, wretched, rich, strangers, local citizens? It is truly proper to ask now: "Who will speak the power of the Lord, proclaim all His praises? .. ".

But this does not happen by itself, not always, but only if everything is done according to Church rules, sound judgment and careful preparation.

The procession begins with blessings. In order to know the will of God, before the beginning, the blessing of the spirit-bearing elders is requested. There are only a few of them, real ones (although, as Fr. Kirill (Pavlov) used to say, there are a lot of old people). Further, receiving the blessing of the bishops, we receive grace from the Lord and the command to fulfill His holy will. If God blessed through the elders and bishops, this is already obedience, it cannot be neglected: Cursed is everyone who does the work of God negligently(Jer 48:10). You either need to do it well, or you don't need to start at all.

Not every movement of people is a religious procession. Obvious requirements: at least one priest must always go, who is obliged to serve, instruct, confess - nourish, general church or special fasting, the charter, special rules (see below), movement - with prayer and on foot.

Christ commanded: Go...and preach (Mark 16:15). the main task procession is akin to the apostolic - a sermon. Sermon by the word of God, prayer, carefully selected spiritual literature, preaching by personal example, way of life, truth. Comfortable flights, swimming and riding are not inherently a religious procession, their spiritual benefits are much lower.

Elder Paisius Svyatogorets said: “The current situation can only be resisted spiritually, and not worldly ... We must boldly confess our faith, because if we remain silent, we will bear responsibility. In these difficult years, each of us must do what what is possible. And what is impossible, to leave to the will of God. Thus, our conscience will be calm."

It is known that prayer, supported by bodily effort, bows, fasting, is much more effective. Repentance, patience and prayerful work, put on the difficulties of walking for the glory of God - this is very strong weapon in the battle for faith and Russia. Here every step is like a bow to Christ, the Mother of God and the saints with repentance and our constant request to help in troubles and sorrows, to cope with this hard times, with the sores of relatives and friends, with the invasion of twelve languages, with drunkenness and godlessness of the once Orthodox country.

The creation of a religious procession is the creation for a time of a special kind of Orthodox church community, a monastery "on its feet." Difficulties reveal and exacerbate the spiritual infirmities of those walking, they need to be treated on time, here the priest is simply indispensable, and not alone - the priests also get tired and get sick. The search for confessors for the procession is a separate, obligatory and very important task. Under their supervision, it is necessary to build a rule and try to comply with it: morning and evening prayers, prayers, requiems. It is extremely important to teach everyone how to sing the Jesus Prayer aloud while moving. Where there are two or three in the name of God, there He is in the midst of us. There are different versions of such a prayer, it was blessed for us by the elders, hermits and in writing by the bishops. Without prayer, the procession loses its power. Songs and chants are good when entering and leaving the temple, but on the march there should be a battle hymn of the army of Christ and nothing else is more suitable than the Jesus Prayer. Experienced walkers can teach, there are features here - the pace and length of the step, so that it is equally convenient for brothers and sisters, strong and weak, for everyone. In practice, in some dioceses, local priests try to prevent such prayer - God is their judge. In the name of peace, there is no need for conflicts (and not only on this issue), but at the first opportunity, we must again pray together and out loud, beat the enemy with the main weapon of the procession - the name of God!

Nothing happens by itself, everything needs to be prepared. It is impossible to focus only on the map - there is too little information and not all of it is reliable. The proposed route must be traveled and, sometimes, more than once. Schedule of movement, transitions, parking, services, entrances and exits from big cities, must be developed in advance by the organizers and agreed with the bishops, deans, governors, traffic police, and the media. Sports forced marches and distances of many thousands are good for a few, we have other tasks. We go for five days, pray, for a holiday - parking, service, communion, rest, laundry, treatment, meetings, conversations. The length of the crossings is usually from 25 to 40 km. The strong can go more and faster, but everyone needs to be saved, both the elderly and the infirm. And those who are stronger, upon arrival, can help set up a camp, heat a bathhouse, help in the kitchen, work on obediences.

They can also communicate with the local population, but not everyone. Not many be teachers said the apostle. The scourge of religious processions is arbitrariness, jealousy is not intelligible, just elementary ignorance, amateur performance of participants, broadcasting, as it were, on behalf of the procession and not only to local grandmothers, but also to various kinds of media, often non-Orthodox.

To solve these and other problems, simple rules of the procession were developed and blessed by the bishops (see below). Any church, parish, monastery must have and comply with its charter, and in our case, the rules that limit the willfulness of the rulers and the anarchy of the crowd, this is the basis of discipline and responsibility, the criterion for the correctness of actions, the condition for God's help. Participants, leaders and priests come and go, but the fulfillment of tasks, continuity, must be strictly observed. In the procession, the leader and confessor decide all issues.

And those who meet and go ask a lot: what is happening? with whom to escape? what is repentance? In general, the eternal Russian questions are "what to do" and "who is to blame." We tried to systematize them, singled out the main ones, printed and distributed a small collection of "Russian Cross". Perhaps soon it will be supplemented and republished under the title "On the Way of the Cross".

Just as the Orthodox faith is comprehended by the deeds of faith, so the procession of the cross is only from within, from the experience of direct participation. A significant part of the problems - from the lack of such experience among the organizers and participants or from their irresponsibility; from bringing into the Church a worldly spirit, habits and passions, and hence other - commercial, vain, political - goals. Then they go "at random", without priests, without confession and sermon, without prayer, do not distribute books or sell everything at a higher price. Sometimes they smoke, it's a shame to say, they swear and drink. Even without blessings go. Then the spirit of the procession is exhausted to the opposite and bad glory is sown.

Therefore, it is important that the leader, the priest, and at least a few other people be spiritually mature, experienced and voluntary like-minded people. Everyone should be like-minded - in Christ, leaving at least for a while destructive habits.

Elder Paisios once remarked: “The goal is to live Orthodoxally, and not just speak or write Orthodoxy (or just walk - author). If the preacher does not personal experience, then his sermon does not reach the heart, does not change people. It is easy to think Orthodox, but in order to live Orthodox one needs work. "We need fasting, prayer, humility, keeping commandments and church life to learn right understand and do all God's work.

Need spiritual work amazing example which is a real procession. In it, as in life, everything is important. Loyalty to Christ begins with small things and is proved by “little things” (see Lk 16:10). Go, basically, simple, ordinary our compatriots, those whom, as in all times, the earth feeds. It is necessary to go out when the earth is warm, people were able to process it, sow it. When it is already possible to spend the night in tents and in schools where the holidays begin; when it is easier to feed an always unpredictable number of people and swim in the river (if you do not wash off the sweat in the evening, tomorrow it will become "sandpaper"). A lot of things need to be thought through, if done well, each move is different, but care for a person should be at the forefront. "Don't torture people," Fr. Kirill (Pavlov).

Special planning and holding of religious processions in winter, in early spring, V great post, especially on Holy Week - not from great love for people. There are special services during Lent, it’s cold, there are enough difficulties, and confessors do not advise going anywhere without great need.

We need to use every opportunity that the Lord gives to testify to the faith and our salvation, but - according to sound reasoning and strength. "The disposition towards goodness is ... good, but spiritual reasoning and breadth are also necessary so that narrow-mindedness does not become a companion of reverence" (Elder Paisios).

In addition to religious processions, there are also pilgrimages, usually in one's own way or to neighboring dioceses. They are held somewhat simpler: you must have blessings, but not necessarily in writing, there is no strict schedule of transitions, services, there is not always a priest. But there is always a senior, there is a written and unwritten Charter, for neglecting which the violator risks being left alone in the open field.

On campaigns, at services, at home, in cells, we pray: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us." All of us - and those who go, and those who help, and those who for some reason could not. In fact, our entire Orthodoxy is measured by how much we can give for another person of our strength, means, time, prayer, health, our blood, our very life. “To pray is to shed blood,” said St. Silouan of Athos. He probably talked about something else, but "got" into the procession. Here, in prayer, the legs are erased into the blood and more than once - for themselves and "for that guy." For everyone.

Because everything here is real. Therefore, the procession, especially in the outback, is perceived by many as a model, as a piece of true, almost ideal Orthodoxy - you cannot deceive the heart.

May God give strength and salvation to all who have walked, who are walking now and will continue to walk.

Fyodor Tyutchev wrote, without knowing it, wonderful verses about the procession:
"Weighed down by the burden of the godmother,
All of you, dear land,
In a slavish form, the King of Heaven
Came out, blessing."

Let's follow Christ!

RULES FOR PARTICIPANTS OF THE CRUISAL PROCESSION

The procession from beginning to end is an Orthodox church service performed by each participant, regardless of rank, position or rank, with attention, reverence, diligence and obedience.

The leader (priest or layman) provides the entire organization and management (regulations, financing, order and mode of movement, food, lodging, security, distribution of obediences, other necessary actions).

From among the priests participating in the procession, the senior in rank or consecration, or, if necessary, elected by the participants as a confessor, organizes proper services and rites in cooperation with the clergy of the dioceses through which the procession takes place.

Everyone who wishes participates with the blessing of their confessors, abbots and confessor of the procession.

The procession is held for the glory of God, not human. Political agitation, advertising of parties, movements, unions or their leaders are not blessed; national exclusiveness, discord and intolerance are not allowed.

The procession moves on foot. In front, the men take turns carrying the cross, banners and the main icon. Next come the priests, then the men with other icons, then the women, the escort transport. Constantly in motion, the prayer is sung: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us."

Everything is done only with the permission of the leader and with the blessing of the confessor.

Participants who cannot walk or violate the specified rules, fasting, dry law, discipline, evade obedience, smoke, use foul language - must leave the Procession themselves or by decision of the leader.

At the end, everything is organized and, if possible, they return home at their own expense.

BARDIZH Andrey Anatolievich; address for letters: 142403 Moscow region, Noginsk-3, to east. Bardij A.A.

On July 27, a religious procession will take place from Vladimirskaya Gorka to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Some perceive this as a demonstration of the power, the power of the Church. Opponents of the Church - as a political demonstration. What is a procession, really?

In the Church throughout its history, forms of service to God were not limited to verbal prayer. Since the advent of worship, along with such prayer, there has been “prayer with the hands” (for example, the sign of the cross) and “prayer with the feet” - participation in prayer processions. Such processions were never perceived as a demonstration of strength or a political action, it was always a divine service, during which one had to not only pray to God with the mind, but also reinforce one's prayer with physical labor - sometimes with a very long procession.

We find an example of such a prayer procession even in the early Church. The 4th-century pilgrim Sylvia of Aquitaine describes the great procession that took place in Jerusalem on the night from Thursday to Friday of Holy Week. She tells that during the night people were very tired, as they passed almost the entire city, and “everyone went - the old and the young, the rich and the poor.” The Bishop of Jerusalem encouraged tired people, urging them "to have hope in the Lord, who will give a great reward for this work."

It should be noted that similar processions were held regularly not only in Jerusalem, but throughout the Roman Empire. For example, at the same time, the Great Litany appears in Rome - a large procession through the whole of Rome, during which the procession with prayer passed from one church to another, trying to visit the burial places of the martyrs. This litany lasted all day and ended at St. Peter's Basilica.

Similar processions were made in Constantinople, and the emperor Justinian legalized that these processions should be made with prayer and with the obligatory participation of the priesthood, “for will that procession be a procession in which there are no priests who bring solemn prayers?”

Processions were made in the Byzantine Empire during the invasion of enemies, drought or disease. The feast of the Presentation of the Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, known to us, originates from the procession, which took place in August in Constantinople with prayers that the city would bypass the epidemics that very often happened at that time.

The Slavic peoples also inherited the tradition of making religious processions. There is evidence of prayer processions in Bulgaria and Moravia. With the adoption of Christianity, religious processions began to be held in Rus'. The first Russian religious procession is considered to be the procession to the Dnieper for the baptism of the people of Kiev. “Vladimir went out with the priests of the Tsaritsyns and Korsuns to the Dnieper, and there gathered people without number,” describes this procession in The Tale of Bygone Years.

It is in remembrance of this procession and the subsequent Baptism of Rus' that a procession is made annually from the supposed place of Baptism to the heart of Kyiv - the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

It is important to understand that the religious procession has never been a demonstration of anything. The procession with slogans, flags and posters is a legacy of the quasi-religious communist ideology. For the Orthodox, a religious procession is a divine service that is performed according to a strictly defined church charter. Of course, in worship, the main occupation should be prayer. What it should be about on the day of the Baptism of Rus', I think everyone understands: that our hearts keep the gifts that we received in our baptism. After all, that is what we are all called to do.

Alexander Adomenas

Many Orthodox believers strive to meet the most important religious holiday - Easter, in the temple and take part in the procession. When will the procession 2018 be? Easter service begins on Holy Saturday, which in 2018 will be April 7th. The procession takes place closer to midnight. After this rite, Easter begins.

There will also be a procession for Easter 2018 in large and small cities. This is an important part of the celebration, and it is after the procession that the bright news that Christ is Risen is passed from mouth to mouth. You can break the fast with food consecrated right there and rejoice, carry this bright news further around the world.

The procession for Easter 2018 in St. Petersburg or in another city always takes place in large churches and temples. The service, which ends with a procession, traditionally begins at 20.00. To take part in this action, one does not need to check the schedule, because there are stable traditions of rule.

20.00 is the time when the service begins, immediately after it the procession takes place. Many are interested in exactly what time the procession for Easter begins. This happens around midnight, but it's better to come earlier and stand a little to listen to the service.

The Easter service is a beautiful and important event. All the clergy of a certain temple put on their best clothes and stand at the Throne. Soon the ringing of bells is heard and after it the procession begins. The Church considers this move as the procession of the church towards Jesus Christ, who rose from the tomb and rose again.

Easter in 2018: the procession on this church holiday is the most numerous. Although, this ritual is also performed on such large church holidays like Baptism, at the Savior. In front of the procession they carry a lantern, then - the altar cross and the altarpiece of the Mother of God. Singers, banner-bearers, deacons and censers walk in pairs in rows, then priests. In the last pair of priests, the one on the right carries the Gospel, and the one on the left carries the icon of the Resurrection.

The procession for Easter 2018 in St. Petersburg and Moscow, other cities is always held according to one established church tradition. The procession goes around the temple three times and stops in front of closed doors, symbolizing the entrance to the cave where Jesus Christ was buried. At this moment, the bells are silent, and the priests and parishioners sing joyful three times Easter troparion. Then the prophecies of the holy King David are pronounced, verses about the resurrection of Christ are sung.

The procession is nearing completion, the doors of the church are opening, and with the joyful news that Christ is Risen, priests and people enter the temple. So once the myrrh-bearing women went to Jerusalem to tell about the resurrection of Jesus Christ there. During the service, the priest again greets all the parishioners with the words "Christ is Risen." And this will be the most important greeting on April 8 - on Easter in 2018, as well as during the festive Easter week.

The procession for Easter 2018 will be held in large and small cities according to the custom. Such moves are made several times a year: always on Easter and on

Archpriest Alexy Kulberg, rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, head of the department of religious education and catechesis of the Yekaterinburg Metropolis, answers questions from viewers. Transfer from Yekaterinburg.

- Today is marked by one important event. On June 3, a multi-day and multi-kilometer All-Russian Velikoretsky procession started from the St. Seraphim Cathedral in the city of Kirov. Many people participate in this procession. They will pass the 180-kilometer Way of the Cross. This procession has Official pagehttp://velikoretsky-hod.ru/, where you can track the movement of people and the route. In Yekaterinburg, on Children's Day, a procession was also held for children. And also on the night of July 17 in Yekaterinburg there will be a religious procession to Ganina Yama, to the place where the holy royal family was taken away. Therefore, today I propose to start the program with the topic of religious processions, to talk about why we perform such a feat and why it exists at all. First, let's talk about the etymology of these words: why "godfather" and why "move"?

The Velikoretsky cross procession is the oldest of all existing cross processions. Tens of thousands of people participate in it. We will assume that it does not come from Kirov, but from Vyatka - after all, let's return to the historical name of this city. The procession comes from Vyatka, from the place where the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was revealed on the Velikaya River. What is this procession for? A certain peasant on the Velikaya River discovered the icon of St. Nicholas, which was miraculously consecrated. Wondering what it was, he took the icon and brought it to Vyatka. The inhabitants of Vyatka vowed to worship this icon every year - to go to the place where it was found, and to pay honor, gratitude to the saint, who through this icon a huge number of prayers (voiced or not voiced), as well as the requests of the inhabitants of Vyatka heard and fulfilled. This icon became the main shrine for the Vyatichi people. And the Velikoretsky Cross Procession is an outward expression of gratitude to God and St. Nicholas for these favors.

I am not a historian, and it is difficult for me to trace the retrospective when the first religious procession was recorded in history. Probably, I will not be mistaken if I say that the first procession was the way of the cross of our Savior, which He made under the weight of the Cross, laid by the Roman soldiers on the verdict of Pontius Pilate and on the betrayal of the Israeli people. This is the first religious procession, as a result of which the saving sacrifice of the Lord was brought for the human race. The result of this way of the cross was the Resurrection and victory over death. Perhaps this is the most important meaning of any procession and the life of a Christian: to live your own path, not to grumble under the weight of the cross that the Lord places on us or that we ourselves lift up on ourselves, and come to the salvation of our own souls.

Second historical fact, which I associate with the procession, is an event that took place nine centuries later, which we remember as the feast of the Praise of the Mother of God. We celebrate it at the end of Lent or during the Feast of the Intercession Holy Mother of God. The inhabitants of Constantinople, besieged by the barbarians, understood that there was no hope for salvation, the city would now be captured, devastated, and rivers of blood would flow along the bridges of Constantinople. They placed their only hope in the Mother of God and marched around the walls of Constantinople with the girdle of the Mother of God and the icon, which is kept in the Blachernae Church. We know that the Mother of God saved the city. Numerous troops besieging the city were destroyed, and the inhabitants were saved.

Yesterday the Church commemorated the holy noble prince Dovmont of Pskov, in holy baptism Timothy. His life describes a similar phenomenon: after the death of the holy prince Dovmont, who was the defender of Pskov, the city was besieged. As the life says, about 100,000 German knights and Varangians, hired by them, surrounded Pskov and were ready to capture it and turn it into ruins. Prince Dovmont appeared in a dream to several townspeople and urged them to take the mantle with which his tomb was covered. With this shrine they passed along the walls of the city, and the city was liberated. This is the third example in history when a religious procession was performed. In the last two examples (in Constantinople and Pskov), people went to the procession not because of an overabundance of pious feelings, not because they so wanted to acquire special heavenly grace, tenderness and tears. And they went to the procession, because they understood: there is nothing more to hope for, now there will be a bitter and cruel death for us and our children. There is no more human hope, something needs to be done, to turn to God. This cry, made in desperation, was heard. The Lord intervened.

Today we are doing religious processions. They are beautiful - for example, on Bright Week around the temple. Now it's summer, a whole series of religious processions begins. Velikoretsky of them is the longest and most massive. It must be understood that this is not just a beautiful tradition. Yes, it is blessed and beautiful: so many people, banners, icons, how pious they all are! But in reality there is a crowd of sinners, a "crowd of problems." I know many people who go to the procession. The parishioners of our church left Yekaterinburg for the Velikoretsky procession, I know people who participate in the Borisoglebsky, Irinarhovsky processions. They go there not to communicate with similar Orthodox, to enjoy grace. They bring their problems there - husbands drink, children do not obey, there are some diseases. A person goes, realizing that he has an incurable disease, there is nothing to hope for: “I will bring the rest of my strength to God, maybe He will accept it, either give health or patience to bear this disease.” Such people, perishing in their sins, infirmities, sufferings, passions, gather, like the inhabitants of Pskov or Constantinople, in the hope that the Lord will at least accept this procession and deliver from what a person himself cannot get rid of.

What do people who have walked this path testify to? It's very hard. Imagine: 180 km on foot on the road, in any weather. Even though it’s a thunderstorm, even if it’s hot, they go, they spend the night wherever they can, some in the field, some on the floor. And they bring these works in the hope that the Lord will accept. The Lord accepts, of course, but not en masse. Not all 70-80 thousand are immediately healed, enlightened, and problems disappear. People say: “We have passed, we have received such a charge of affirmation in faith, in the desire for a pious life, that for a year ahead until the next procession of the cross, this charge nourishes and keeps us from falls and human infirmities.”

Now many religious processions will be performed. Of course, this is the royal procession, which will take place on the night of July 16-17 in Yekaterinburg, 21 kilometers long. About 50 thousand people gather for this procession. The main leitmotif of the royal procession is prayer for our country, repentance, which we bring to God before royal family for the sin of killing the sovereign and the sin of our own lukewarm, comfortable, well-fed life. We pray and hope that the Lord will send trials, give patience in these trials, and through this Christian deed, our country, our Rus' will still be made holy again, striving primarily not for life on earth, so that everything is satisfying, good, calm, comfortable but for the people to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and then everything else.

There are not only traditional religious processions, when people take a cross, an icon and set off with a prayer. There is, for example, a wonderful tradition when people board ships, kayaks, children and adults, take icons, banners, even a small bell tower is installed on the kayak, and such a procession goes along the river. People cover about 100 kilometers. This is done on the territory of the Yaroslavl and Tver regions, along the Nerl River. On the way, participants in the procession, or rafting, visit many villages that once had temples filled with life. And now the temples are abandoned, the inhabitants are also abandoned. This is a missionary cross rafting, the inhabitants of these villages know when to expect the coming of young prayer books. This is a joy and an opportunity once a year to participate in a prayer service, in a liturgy in abandoned churches. There is even a tradition to celebrate the liturgy on the island. Once a tragedy occurred: when the waters of the Rybinsk reservoir were raised, settlements were flooded. And such a picture arose: in the middle of the sea, the bell tower sticks out. There is an island there, on which the temple once stood, now the earth from the water and the remains of a brick are visible. Liturgy is celebrated on this island, in the place where the temple once stood. Such a procession is addressed not only to the people who participate in it, but also to hundreds of those who are waiting for it in these villages. During overnight stays, talks and concerts are held. People touch that spiritual life, which is inaccessible to them during the whole year. Here is the result.

Question from TV viewer Aleksey from St. Petersburg: “I heard that in ancient times, in the first Christian centuries, there was such a rule: everyone who did not succeed in fasting thoroughly during Great Lent, for example, travelers, fasted during Peter's fast. And if a person spent Great Lent carefully, then he was freed from Peter's fast. Have you heard of this rule?

Yes, I heard about such a tradition that Peter's fast was established for those people who either did not have the opportunity to properly follow the path of Great Lent, or did not have such a desire - for example, they were only baptized the day before, on Holy Saturday. Naturally, they did not fast during Lent. The post was dedicated to the apostles. These labors, which Christians brought during the short period of Peter's fast, gave certain fruits. Today there is a discussion: “If in ancient times there was no Petrov fast, why are we now diligently fasting both on Great and Petrov? Let's cancel the Petrov post. Since we fasted on Great Lent, it means that we will not fast on Petrov.” There are interesting arguments for and against this. The Synodal Commission has gathered many intelligent, educated both theologically and historically spiritually experienced people who are preparing proposals regarding the attitude towards Peter's post. I can only say as a priest and as a Christian: I am now happily waiting for the end of a continuous week, the moment when Peter's fast begins. Lent is called "spiritual spring". When it begins, the soul blossoms like an apple tree warmed by the sun in spring, throws out its leaves and blossoms. When does the post end? Well, who has not experienced this sad reality: Easter, joy, the Resurrection of Christ, a week, a second, a third - and that tension of spiritual life goes away, there is time for relaxation, some regrets that that taste of spiritual life is washed away, lost. And where to find it? The opportunity to devote two to four weeks to God is a joy for me personally and for those people whom I, as a priest, minister to. We are waiting for the opportunity to fast, study the Acts of the Apostles, the Epistles of the Holy Apostles, we are looking forward to fasting in order to control our womb and practice piety and thereby benefit ourselves and those around us, who, seeing us fasting for real, will benefit. Fasting does not just mean that we do not eat something, but we need to limit ourselves in spectacles, idle talk. This benefits not only the person, but also the people around him. Who else, but I think that for a Christian this is a great benefit and whoever fasts will gain. There are people who are looking for: “How can we not fast?” Don't fast. God will give you something else, some other grace, maybe he will send some kind of illness, sorrow, or maybe he will look after His love, warm your heart so that you will feel good even without fasting. This post is consecrated by our ancestors for centuries. In the life of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky, a great saint revered in the Church, it is mentioned that on Tuesday or Thursday of the first week of Peter's Lent in the summer he came to the prince on a sleigh, predicting this arrival in advance. That is, Peter's fast for people who lived during the time of the Monk Varlaam Khutynsky, who carried such missionary labors, was an important milestone, for them it was essential. They, too, probably knew that this tradition comes from the holy apostles, not from the Lord Jesus Christ. There was such a tradition, we adopted it, therefore, probably, Rus' is called Holy. Faith was in Rus', but in the West, without fasting, it cooled, emasculated, and now they have come to the troubles that exist. Therefore, the strength of tradition matters, especially for a Russian person, tradition means a lot. I believe that traditions should be preserved, respected carefully, with love. Then the Lord will give a lot of things to a fasting person. If someone is having a hard time, then there are enough indulgences for people who are having a hard time, who are sick, who are weak. I think that your confessor will determine the measure that you can bear. Moreover, fasting is not strict, the fish is blessed. So let us fast with the apostolic, auspicious fast.

Question from TV viewer Tamara from Volgograd: “I buy icons in the temple and put them not on the shelves, but glue them to the wall with glue. It is a sin?"

If the glue is strong and the icons do not fall off the wall, this is not a sin. I think you paste with love and then pray in front of them. And if they are badly glued, fall off or the corners turn away, find a good glue. It is only important that the icons do not fall and that, looking at them, you turn to the Mother of God, to the Savior, to the saints. This is a very rewarding work. Buy, attach, pray for us, and for all listeners and viewers of the Soyuz TV channel. And it will be a great blessing, not a sin.

We spoke earlier about the fact that those who participate in these solemn processions are penitent people, sinners, as you said - "a crowd of problems." And if we take children's religious processions, is there such a feeling of this event in the souls of children that they are sinners, that they are performing some kind of feat? Or is it one of the solemn events in which they participate for them?

This educational event for the children who participate in these moves.

- Is it carried out educational work to explain the meaning of what is happening?

The children who take part in the procession on June 1 and in the river rafting are not random children. They went to this procession for a certain time, studying at Sunday school, preparing for the rafting, studying the route, studying the icons that they would have in their hands. Preparation time is a serious educational moment. Here the children go to school, do their homework, but why, for what - it is not very clear. One feels the aimlessness, the meaninglessness of their existence. They are immersed in social media, in their children's problems. There is a feeling of frivolity, virtuality of everything they do. When a child lives with one foot in the virtual world, he has the opportunity to touch real life then, when he goes on a cross-rafting trip, he finds himself in a village. City residents see a different reality, completely different people, residents of distant villages and villages. For us today they are like aliens. How the expressions and behavior of children change when they start talking with the inhabitants of these villages: a completely different dialect, a completely different sense of time. They live a year, and someone two years of their lives in the experience that they acquire: overcoming themselves, communicating with those people whom they would never have met either on TV or on Instagram. They get the experience of doing good. And they know that what they are doing now is good. It brings joy and comfort. For a whole year they receive a boost of energy, because a long stay in such good deeds does not pass without a trace for the soul. And when they return to their apartments, to the circle of friends and comrades, they feel that it was so good, but now it is not. Where is "good"? It is "good" where "two or three are gathered in My name", where the Church is. People who have touched long-term good work, then look for the opportunity to communicate, to continue this good work in Sunday school, in the Church, in the parish. The same applies to those children who walked the streets of Yekaterinburg the day before yesterday. People live in the city, they know that city life is chaos, vanity, they advertise something, they sell something. And what they touch in the Church, they do not meet on the streets, in the lanes, on the avenues of the city. And here they have the opportunity to open this church, inner, secret life to the people around them and to be not just some kind of kids standing on the sidelines, but this is their missionary work. Myself baby goes with a cross, with an icon, he sings songs and hymns to the Lord. When the procession ended, the children approached the chapel in honor of St. Catherine. There once was a temple. Peers approached them and asked: “Guys, what is going on here?” And what is it like for a young banner-bearer to tell and substantiate this in such a way as to interest a peer in the seriousness and grace of his doing? It is, in essence, an examination of what he studied during the year in Sunday school, or an examination of the faith and faithfulness he acquires in the temple. It's one thing to be embarrassed, shy: after all, everyone is so dressed up, painted, dancing to the music on Children's Day, but we somehow behave differently. But to substantiate, not to be embarrassed - this is a serious test. If the child was capable of this, then there is hope that when tomorrow or the day after tomorrow he walks through the streets of the same city, passes by the temple, he will not hesitate to make the sign of the cross. When he is at school and sees some social atrocity, some of the younger ones will be insulted, he will have something to cling to, he will have a “ledge” in his soul, on which he can stand and not slip, not be like everything, but still remain the person that we saw here during the procession. This is very important for others and for the participants in the procession.

Question from TV viewer Yevgeny from the Belgorod region: “Christ spoke with the Pharisees about fasting. They asked Him, “Why don’t Your disciples fast?” He said, “How can they fast when the Bridegroom is with them. When the Bridegroom is taken away from them, then they too will fast.” The Bridegroom is Christ. And fasting was done for Him. And Peter's fast is made for the sake of the apostles? And why is the fast in honor of the Apostle Peter, why did we bypass the Apostle John? He alone did not run away and did not renounce Christ.”

A Christian is a person who seeks every opportunity life situation use for spiritual salvation. We fast for the sake of Christ: in Great Lent - for the sake of Christ and in Petrov - for the sake of Christ. We partake of the Body and Blood of Christ. The crown of fasting is preparation for the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, not Peter and Paul or John, but Christ. Therefore, the fast is called Petrov, but this does not mean that we fast in honor of Peter, and does not mean that we do not notice Paul or other apostles. Let's think like this: firstly, during the Petrine Lent, the Church calls on Christians to pay close attention to the One about whom the apostles testified; secondly, to strive to imitate the lives of the holy apostles. We can very quickly slide into Protestantism: “Nothing matters, only Jesus Christ and the gospel matter. We are not interested in anything else." We know that by such an imaginary focus on Jesus Christ and on the text of the Gospel, the Protestants have deprived themselves of a huge range of spiritual means that the Lord and the Church give to a person, a Christian. I would not like to go this way and limit myself. The Lord chose the apostles and sent them to preach, so that they would spread the news about Jesus Christ and the Gospel throughout the earth. Jesus Christ could say, “I am in charge. Believe in me, I will preach about myself throughout the earth. The Lord doesn't do that. He reveals Himself to the disciples, the apostles, He gives them the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, so that their word would not be a human word, filled with some vices and lust, but a divine word, full of the power of the Holy Spirit. Then He says, "Go and preach the gospel to every creature." What we know about Christ, we know from the apostles. Is it not worth at least for the sake of this 2-4 weeks to devote to what they said, wrote, what kind of life they lived and how the holy apostles ended it. Peter's Lent traditionally ends on July 12, the feast day of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. If you are embarrassed that on this day we end the fast and exalt two apostles, and humiliate the rest, do not be discouraged. Fast until July 13, on this day the Church commemorates the Synod of the Holy Apostles, all twelve. Continue fasting one more day and dedicate this fast to John the Theologian, James Zebedee, Andrew the First-Called and other holy apostles, whom, I have no doubt, you love, honor, read and whose life you imitate. Continue until the 13th, come to the temple for the service (in Belgorod, I have no doubt, there is a temple in the name of the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles), this will be your good deed, good veneration of the holy apostles of Christ. You began with the words: why the disciples of Christ do not fast, and the Lord answers that the time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away. Yes, that time has come. On Wednesday, Judas betrayed Christ; on Friday, the Lord was taken away from the disciples and crucified on the Cross. So every Wednesday and Friday - fast days. A Christian is attentive to Wednesday and Friday, not just changing the diet, but paying attention to what services are performed. On Friday, the Cross of Christ is always venerated, on Wednesday - the Mother of God. Attention to these details will certainly make your post, and the post of any person, more meaningful and faster leading to Jesus Christ. I wish this for you and for myself.

Question from TV viewer Artem from Sochi: “During the service we pray to the saints to pray to God for us. We pray to the Mother of God with the words "save us", although the Gospel says that we have one Teacher - Christ. Why do we pray to the Mother of God "save us", and to the saints - "pray to God for us"?

Such is the tradition. By this we emphasize the special role of the Mother of God in the salvation of mankind. So God was pleased that it was through the chosen Virgin that the God-Man Jesus Christ came into the world. God so trusted this person, this Virgin, that She taught Him human life She taught him to walk, talk, write. She was His closest person on this earth. This closeness was expressed in the event of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, when the Lord Himself came to earth in Gethsemane in order to take the soul of the Mother of God, and then the body and ascend to Heaven. These special relationships between the Mother of God and the God-man, Her Son, Jesus Christ, are emphasized by the fact that we see a special relationship to Her. She brought the Savior into the world, served the cause of salvation, we turn to Her: “Mother of God, as You served for the salvation of all mankind, so I ask You to serve the cause of salvation for me personally.” We turn to Her: "Save us." But this does not in the least detract from the dignity of the saints of God.

We read the life of the saint and wonderworker Nicholas about how he repeatedly saved people who were dying, who were preparing to be executed by beheading with a sword or who were drowning on a ship. They did not pray according to a prayer book or an official. They had a cry in which all faith is concentrated: “I am dying, I ask you to help, save!” Such a prayer was heard. Here, in these words “Most Holy Mother of God, save us”, “holy saints of God, pray to God for us”, is not a dogmatic component, but rather a measure of the participation of the Mother of God and the saints in our life and in the work of our salvation. The measure of the Mother of God is greater than the measure of the holy saints of God, who also participate, help in the same way, but still not to the same extent, not to the same degree, significance and closeness to God and people, as is shown by the Mother of God. But, turning in a difficult situation to the God-pleaser you revere - St. Nicholas, St. Spyridon, the Holy Great Martyr George, St. Constantine and Elena and others - you will not offend the Mother of God in the least. I think you will be heard by those whose name you call on. But this is a tradition that exists in the Church, consecrated by the fact that generations of people before us lived by this tradition, and in this tradition they were brought up in holiness and entered into Heavenly Kingdom. For them, such a formulation did not at all become an obstacle in order to believe in the Risen Christ, Mother of God and saints and imitate their lives. This helped them become saints themselves and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. If we, as Christians, lovingly accept church tradition, just as children lovingly accept the language spoken by their parents, then this will be salutary for us.

Today I was walking down the street and saw a beautiful family from afar: a stately father, a mother dressed modestly and beautifully, and two children. And I hear that they are “banging” in the Central Asian language, I don’t even know what language it is. If I had heard the language first, then maybe I didn't have best thoughts were born (in our land they don’t really like aliens from other countries). And at first I saw the beauty of this family, this love that is present. They walked as one. And when they approached, I had no choice but to glorify God: “Lord, glory to Thee, who nourishes and blesses every person living on earth.” And if we, like children, perceive the tradition that our ancestors brought with their sweat and blood, preserved, then we are approaching salvation. Greece has a different tradition, the Copts have a third. They live the way they received from their fathers. Let us live and be saved in the tradition that the Orthodox Church has preserved for us.

I would like to return to the topic of Children's Day and to the all-Russian action in defense and remembrance of those children who could be among us. We are talking about unborn children. What is the essence of this action, how did it go?

Everyone's favorite pastor, Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov, who is the chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Family and Child Affairs, addressing His Holiness the Patriarch and discussing the topic of abortion with him, received from the Patriarch a blessing to make every effort possible efforts in order to eradicate this misfortune, this pestilence from our land. And the Patriarch, in fact, blessed the holding on June 1, Children's Day, of a special prayer work: read prayer of repentance To our God, the Mother of God, to the saints with a request to take this plague away from our people, our country, to light candles on the salt to indicate that there is some exclusivity in this day, in this prayer. In Yekaterinburg, 5,000 red lamps were prepared, they were marked with information about this penitent action. These lamps were distributed to the churches of the city, the diocese, and the media were warned. Thus, on June 1, the priests spoke from the pulpit, saying that the children who are under the mother's heart, the children in the womb, are full-fledged living citizens, that abortions are the murder of full-fledged citizens. We must protect not only those children who live, but those who live under the heart of their mother. These words were rebroadcast by many TV channels. We hope that they were heard by viewers. There is hope that the Lord still hears His Church and fulfills what we ask. People learned, heard, were ashamed of what was done, or what they intended to do - thank God! In the temples, all salt, all the steps that are in front of the pulpit and to the left and right of it, were filled with rows of burning lamps. We understood that people brought lamps with a spark for a reason. Someone has one or three ruined children on their conscience. Someone has non-resistance, assistance, stupid advice to people to commit this crime. You see how these lamps burn, and the heart melts; people came. It was necessary to look into the eyes of these people who were praying: so much grief and hope was hidden in them, the hope that when the souls of the ruined children who stand before God meet their souls, the meeting will not be so terrible, for the sin they have committed there will be no descent into hell. Still, there is hope for salvation. We know that His Holiness Patriarch came up with an initiative in the State Duma that abortions be excluded from the system of compulsory health insurance so that abortions are not performed at the expense of the state, taxpayers. It is not easy for such an initiative to pass. There are high-ranking people who resist this initiative of the Patriarch. But I really hope that the Lord, Who has worked a miracle on our land so many times, will eradicate this cannibalistic practice from our people. Children will be born, brought up - and they will observe Peter's fast (this tradition will not leave our lives). They, too, will enter the Heavenly Kingdom not as martyrs who have not been baptized and are waiting to meet their unfortunate parents, but as the children of the holy saints of God entered.

Host: Dmitry Brodovikov
Transcription: Natalia Maslova