What time does the religious procession begin? What you can and cannot go with to a religious procession. How and for what purpose do people get involved in your projects?

What is the Procession of the Cross and why do believers need to go on a prayer procession with an icon? In order to correctly go through the Procession of the Cross, you need to understand its meaning. Our life is a long road and, following this path, we can both grow in piety and commit sins. Many events require self-denial, the ability to overcome difficulties, and walk the long path of life with prayer. The procession of the cross is a symbolic procession along the path of life. We tell ourselves and others that we want to follow the path of Christ, because being with the Lord is the main goal of our earthly life. At this time, we don’t just walk, hoping that the procession with the icon of the saint might somehow magically affect us, we pray. The procession of the cross is a time of prayer and reflection about your life, your path and its meaning. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” This is also a “communion of saints,” an opportunity to feel unity with one’s fellow believers. Show love and mercy to those who find it difficult to walk. Pray together. The procession of the cross is important for believers.

People organize a procession with icons and other Orthodox shrines to glorify the Lord. The icons are carried in front so that the saints “lead” the procession with prayer. Processions of the cross can take place along any route. Sometimes they consecrate areas that are notorious for tragic events, sometimes the procession takes place along a route that has some symbolic meaning for the Orthodox. But its essence is not in the distance from point A to point B, but in the desire to glorify God and His saints, in prayer. A religious procession is sometimes a petition (for rain, for improving living conditions, for help for the sick, for the repose of the dead).

Orthodox religious procession: history and traditions in Rus'

The ancient tradition of the Procession of the Cross began to be revived in Russia quite recently. Before the revolution, prayer processions were common. In difficult times, the Russian people were supported by religious processions with icons of saints. Not only ordinary pilgrims walked then, but also the highest church clergy, as is the case now. People went for support to St. Sergius, to the Solovetsky saints, to monasteries and churches. The Velikoretsk religious procession went to the place of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. This procession of the Cross is probably the most difficult in the history of Russia. People walk for 150 km on bad roads, in difficult conditions; part of the route passes through the forest, where there are no roads at all. During times of atheism, pilgrims who were going to the religious procession were detained by the police. He was few in number. Now, on the contrary, it is one of the largest gatherings of believers.

The tradition of the Velikoretsk religious procession is 600 years old. It is connected with the history of the Orthodox miracle. It is believed that a certain pious man was passing near the Great River and suddenly saw a Heavenly light, reminiscent of the flames of burning candles. In awe, he did not dare to approach this place. But, returning home, he saw that the light was still on. He crossed himself and, overcoming fear, went to this place. It turned out that next to a small source there was an image of St. Nicholas. A pious man whose name was Semyon Agalakov in 1383 helped the Church find the Velikoretsk image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

After this event, amazing things began to happen in a nearby village: the healing of the sick. And the pilgrimage to the icon began. At first people walked alone, and then together. People from other places began to come, having heard about the miracle. The icon was eventually transferred to Khlynov, but people annually bring it in a religious procession with a prayer procession to the place of the miraculous discovery. The route is so difficult that the first religious processions were carried out on water.

Modern pilgrims also plunge into the water of the holy spring at the site where the icon was found when they make a religious procession. A small chapel was also built there. And the residents of the villages of Medyany and Murygino kneel and make the sign of the cross as the prayer procession passes by.

Father Alexander Zverev, rector of the Velikoretsk Church from 1994 to 2005, said that another ancient miracle happened when the builders who founded the church at the site of the appearance of the icon discovered logs far from this place in the morning. This was repeated for several days. And one more amazing event: in 1554, a big fire destroyed the cathedral in which the Velikoretsk shrine was located, but the icon was not damaged. A year later, the image made its first journey to the place where the icon was found in a procession of the Cross. The Velikoretsk Icon was seen off with great honor. She visited Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. In the capital, the image was met by Ivan the Terrible. The Tsar decided to consecrate the chapel of St. Basil's Cathedral in honor of the Vyatka saint. During the difficult years of the Russian Troubles, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov also asked to bring the image to Moscow.

Types of the Procession

The religious procession can be dedicated to one or another wonderful event, an important date. Church holiday (for example, Easter). Can walk through an area that is important to people in order to consecrate it with universal prayer

It may vary along the route. Both in length of the route and in shape. This is how believers sometimes walk in circles. Such a procession with an icon does not take place by chance. The circle is a symbol of infinity, Eternal life, which the Lord gives us.

But the procession may also have an end point. Like the path of Christ to Golgotha, when he was accompanied by his disciples, or the path of the myrrh-bearing women to the Tomb of Christ.

Along with the icons, people carry the Cross in front of the prayer procession. That is why the move is called “the godfather”. This custom exists not only in the Orthodox Church, but also in the Catholic Church.

Procession of the Cross for Catholics

The very first religious procession, without realizing it, was made by Emperor Constantine I the Great. He saw the Cross in the sky and the words “By this victory.” The emperor ordered the production of banners and shields with the image of the Crucifixion, and so his army went against the enemy. Now this role is played during the procession of the banner.

Mostly religious processions are performed by:

On major church holidays
To consecrate places where Orthodox miracles occurred
For the burial of the dead
To ask for salvation in difficult times or times of drought in places where rain is needed (for example)

Missionary work also plays a special role. Thus, thanks to the Velikoretsky religious procession, many local residents from nearby villages could join the ancient church tradition and pray.

The religious procession usually goes against the sun.

The prayer procession is now carried out not only on foot. This is how the Orthodox procession is carried out in difficult areas, and the waterways are passed on boats. Therefore, in this case the word “move” has only a formal meaning.

The religious procession can be not only for adults, but also for children. Some dioceses hold a special one.

It is also performed for. In the Kursk diocese, a religious procession is held with sign language interpretation for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Annual religious processions in Russia

Procession of the Cross - prayer procession with an icon

Velikoretsk religious procession

Usually the most numerous. It is held from June 3 to June 8 every year. The number of pilgrims is in the tens of thousands. So in 2008 they counted 30 thousand people. The religious procession starts from Kirov, goes to the village of Velikoretskoye and returns again to Kirov. This religious procession is considered the most difficult in terms of length and route features.

St. George's procession

Performed annually in St. Petersburg. A prayer procession with the icon of St. George is held to honor the memory of those killed in the Great Patriotic War.

Procession of the Cross in memory of all new martyrs and confessors of Russiaconducted by the Saratov diocese. It is dedicated to the memory of those who died during the persecution of the Church by Soviet power. Then the inhabitants of the cave monastery were killed.

Procession of the Cross “The Path of St. Sergius”

The religious procession “The Path of St. Sergius” goes through the Radonezh land. A prayer procession with the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh passes through places that are associated with earthly life and miracles through prayers to St. Sergius.

Volga religious procession

The Volga religious procession is organized in the Tver diocese. It goes from the source of the Volga to the Dnieper and Western Dvina, the first Volga procession took place with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'.

Easter Procession: rules and meaning

The service begins on the evening of Holy Saturday. The Midnight Office is performed first. This part of the service is filled with sorrow over the earthly suffering of the Savior. The Shroud of Christ (the shroud with the image of Christ in the Tomb) is fumigated with a censer and moved to the altar. She will remain on the throne until the Feast of the Ascension. Next comes Easter Matins. The joyful and solemn ringing of bells heralds the coming Resurrection of Christ.

The religious procession is also held on Easter

This is when the prayer procession for Easter begins. They walk around the temple three times, stopping at its doors. The religious procession stands at the doors of the temple. The doors are closed. This is a symbol of the stone that blocked the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher. The third time the temple doors open, the stone falls, and we hear the Bright Matins. The festive singing of bells during the procession on Easter is one of the most complex types of bell ringing, which is called “trezvon”. If you have heard the expression “bells ringing,” then we are talking primarily about the Easter service and the ringing during the prayer procession. The bells in the temple do not always ring.

The meaning of the procession for an Orthodox person

In Church life there are external traditions and rituals that contribute to spiritual growth within, in the soul of a person. A prayer procession with an icon (procession of the cross) is a new spiritual experience for a Christian, an opportunity to rethink a lot, ask the saints for intercession before the Lord, healing or answers to questions that torment a person. This experience cannot be acquired by the power of thought, no knowledge can give it, the experience that prayers and unity with brothers and sisters in faith give is absolutely unique. In many ways, the Procession of the Cross is also a sacrifice that Christians make to the Lord.

The procession of the cross is a long-established tradition of Orthodox believers, consisting of a solemn procession led by clergy who carry banners, icons, crosses and other shrines. It is performed around the church, from temple to temple, directed to a reservoir or to another object of the Orthodox shrine. Processions of the cross take place on various occasions - in honor of Jesus Christ, revered saints, church holidays. They are: Easter, memorial, water lighting, funeral, missionary and others.

Processions of the cross have become part of the life of the Orthodox world. The most famous of them are Easter, which begins close to midnight. Easter is celebrated annually and is calculated separately for each year. The criterion is the day of the equinox in the spring and such a phenomenon as the full moon. The first Sunday after these phenomena will be Easter day.

The Easter procession is a great event for the Orthodox who take part in this procession. The main essence is that believers, led by clergy, go towards the good news of the resurrection of Christ. At this time, the church bells ring. Participants in the procession sing festive chants. The religious procession takes place at night from Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday. In accordance with this, in 2019 the procession will take place on the night of April 27-28, in 2020 - from April 18-19.

On days when Orthodox holidays take place, the procession of the cross is determined by the community.

According to established tradition, religious processions take place in many localities: cities and villages and have a specific purpose. Their list is very large. They are timed to coincide with various events and Orthodox dates. Here are some of them:

Velikoretsky - runs with the revered Velikoretsk icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from June 3 to 8;
Kaluga - with the icon of the Mother of God, dates: 28.06-31.07;
Kursk - with the icon of the Mother of God of the Sign of Kursk-Root 9 Friday after Easter;
Saratov - held in honor of the memory of the Russian new martyrs and confessors from June 26 to July 17;
Georgievsky - to the places of glory and heroic defense of Leningrad from May 5 to 10;
Samara - with the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from Troubles” in Tashlu. It takes place on the first day of Petrov's Fast and lasts 3 days.

The procession is the essence

The procession of the cross always has some purpose and is carried out only with the blessing of the archpastor or bishop. The religious procession expresses the people's unified faith, unites people and increases the number of believers. In front of the passage they carry a lantern, which symbolizes the Divine Light.

They carry banners - remote banners on which the faces of saints are imprinted.

Icons, Gospels and all kinds of shrines are carried by clergy and believers who participate in the procession. Processions of the cross illuminate everything around - earth, fire, water, air. People's prayers, icons, sprinkling with holy water, incense - have a sacred effect on the world around us.

The reason for holding a religious procession can be different:

The religious procession is organized by a specific church community and is timed to coincide with an Orthodox holiday or event. For example, the illumination of a temple or a celebration in honor of a revered icon.
Easter - on Palm Sunday, during Bright Week.
The Feast of the Epiphany - at this time the water is illuminated.
Funeral - a procession escorts the deceased to the cemetery.
Missionary, the goal of which is to attract believers into their ranks.
Public holidays or events.
Emergencies - wars, natural disasters, epidemics.
Procession taking place in the temple.

The Procession of the Cross takes place relative to the sun against its movement. Old Believers walk clockwise, i.e. according to the movement of the sun. Depending on the purpose, the religious procession goes around the church, from temple to temple, to the shrine that is revered. There are processions of the cross that are short in duration, for example on Easter, and multi-day ones that take place over several days.

In our age of technological progress, the religious procession can be carried out by helicopter or airplane by clergy who fly over a certain territory with a miraculous icon. On January 2, 1941, copies of the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God were loaded onto a plane and flew around Moscow with it. There is a high probability that it was this flight that stopped the enemy from attacking the city.

History of the Russian procession

The procession of the Cross dates back to time immemorial. During the battle in 312, Constantine, the Roman Emperor, saw a sign in the sky in the form of a cross, the inscription on which was: By this victory!

Constantine ordered the production of banners on which crosses were depicted, later called Banners.

An example of religious processions in Rus' was the Church of Constantinople. Appeal to God with universal prayer in case of disasters and emergencies. From the time of the Old Testament we know that there were solemn processions. The city of Jericho and its siege - in the book of Jesus Novinus it is written: the city will be subdued if you go around it for six days with the ark of the covenant. The seventh day was marked by the cries of the people and the walls of Jericho collapsed.

In the early days of its existence, the Christian Church held secret night processions. The relics of the Orthodox martyrs were transferred. At the end of the fourth century, Christianity was legalized. Processions of the cross began to take place openly, which the Orthodox rejoiced at. In memory of the martyrs, they held a religious procession through cities and villages with chants and prayers, and visited the sites of the Passion of Christ. Litany, that’s what these processions were called.

Litany - translated from Greek means fervent prayer.

There is also a known fact about John Chrysostom, who established the rule of the procession so that the people would be distracted from all heresy. This was in the 4th-5th century.

Simultaneously with the Baptism of Rus', a tradition came to hold processions - religious processions. The illumination of the people took place on the banks of the Dnieper, which was accompanied by a solemn passage carrying the faces of the saints. Since then this tradition has become regular. Processions of the cross took place on various occasions. The people believed that by making a procession, reading prayers in the open air, they called on the Lord God to help in their disasters, and God heard them and helped.

The holding of religious processions in Rus' is widely represented in the paintings of Russian artists. Here are some of them:

Zaitsev E. Prayer service on the Borodino field

B.M.Kustodiev

N.K. Roerich

A.V.Isupov

I.E. Repin

K.E. Makovsky

Velikoretsk icon, brief history with photo

The history of the acquisition of the icon dates back to the 14th century. A peasant from the village of Krutitsy, Agalkov Semyon, was going about his business and saw sowing in the forest. On the way back, he was again attracted by the light, which beckoned him. Unable to resist, he approached this divine light and was surprised when the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared to him. Subsequently, it turned out that the icon was capable of healing diseases. They found out this way: a village resident had sore legs and could not walk; by venerating the icon, he was healed. Since then, fame has spread about the icon. This event took place on the banks of the Velikaya River, so the icon was nicknamed Velikoretskaya. The clergy appealed to the peasants to move the miraculous icon to Khlynov in order to ensure its safety and so that more people could venerate the miraculous icon. People wanted to mark the place where the icon appeared, they built a chapel, and subsequently a temple.

The city of Khlynov was renamed first to the city of Vyatka, then to Kirov - that is what it is still called.

The icon consists of engravings that depict the life and deeds of the saint, there are 8 of them:

Teachings of Saint Nicholas.
The dream of Tsar Constantine and the appearance of the wonderworker Nicholas to him.
Rescue of Demetrius from the bottom of the sea by Saint Nicholas.
Zion - service of St. Nicholas.
Saving a ship from a flood by Saint Nicholas.
Deliverance from the sword of three husbands.

Return of Agrikov's son Vasily from Saracen captivity.

The resting place of St. Nicholas.

In the middle is the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

In 1555, the icon visited Moscow. St. Basil's Cathedral was just under construction at that time. One of the boundaries of the temple was illuminated in honor of the miraculous icon.

In 2016, a miracle happened again in the village of Velikoretskoye. The Trifonov Monastery became famous in the courtyard of which the face of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was discovered. One of the novices of the monastery wanted to make a shutter for a technical window in the barn where livestock was kept. It was a piece of old iron sheet.

The face of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was discovered on an iron sheet by the head of the courtyard, who came to clear the snow. She felt that someone was looking at her. Thus, the face appeared to people once again.

Velikoretsky Procession route

The procession of the cross, its traditions and attributes, with the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas, began after it was transferred to the city of Khlynov in the Vyatka region. It was agreed to return the icon to the place where it was found every year. It was kept in the Church of St. Procopius of Ustyug; subsequently, St. Nicholas Cathedral was built specifically for this icon.

In the 30s of the twentieth century, the religious procession was prohibited. When perestroika came, the attitude of the authorities began to gradually change. Gradually the tradition began to be revived. First, a divine service was allowed on the banks of the Velikaya River, then a procession from the village of Chudinovo. The route has now been completely restored. Every year, at the beginning of June, thousands of people want to take part in this event.

The route is quite long and it may seem impossible to walk this way. Its length is more than 150 km. The religious procession begins with a memorial service in the Assumption Cathedral at 7 o'clock in the morning. At 8 o'clock - in the city of Kirov, in the Holy Assumption Cathedral, the Divine Liturgy takes place. On the Cathedral Square of the Holy Dormition Monastery, Trifonov, at 10 o’clock there is a prayer service and from there at 11 o’clock the procession of the Cross begins. He is greeted by the Trinity Church of the city of Kirov. The next point is the village of Bobino.

You can use the buses that accompany the procession and transport people as they fill up. Buses also await pilgrims in the city of Kirov and deliver directly to their destination, the village of Velikoretskoye.

To perform the procession according to all the rules, you must receive a blessing from the priest. When preparing, you need to stock up on the necessary things and water in advance.

Take a couple of plastic bottles with you. Water can be collected at stopping points, and water is also specially delivered.
Buy a special travel rug for overnight stays.
For the necessary medications you will need along the way, pack a travel first aid kit.
There is no need to take food, you can buy it. Points for dispensing hot food and tea will be organized.
Dried fruits and nuts will not take up much space and will satisfy your hunger.
Raincoats in case it rains.
From things - considering that the nights can be cold, warm things are necessary.
A hat and sunglasses will save you from hot and sultry weather.
Comfortable shoes, a second pair may be needed.
Insect repellents - mosquitoes and midges.

During stops you can have a snack, there is a field kitchen. At the request of each pilgrim, things can be loaded onto a bus that travels to the stopping places. Everyone provides their own accommodation for the night; some take a tent with them. Along the route, in villages, kind people invite travelers to eat and spend the night.

When planning a multi-day religious procession, you need to remember that this is a difficult journey and you need to prepare for it in advance.

The procession of the cross is a solemn procession with a cross, banners and icons, accompanied by prayers for God's mercy.

Processions of the cross are held in honor of church holidays; when transferring the relics of saints, religious shrines; during periods of natural disasters, epidemics and wars, as a way to ask God for protection and salvation from befalling troubles.

There were also religious processions dedicated to certain saints, or shrines, or associated with holy places. In cases where the shrine has long been widely known and the move itself dates back many years from its foundation, it attracts thousands of pilgrims.

In our country, religious processions were borrowed from the Greeks and were carried out according to the customs of the Church of Constantinople. The church history of Rus' began with a religious procession to the Dnieper for the baptism of the people of Kiev. The chronicles reflect the religious processions that subsequently took place at the behest of the Russian great princes Yaroslav I, Izyaslav I, and Vladimir Monomakh. In addition to regular and church-wide ones (on Easter, Epiphany), there were many initiated religious processions in Rus', caused by various circumstances of its historical life. They were performed with special solemnity and special splendor with the indispensable participation of patriarchs and kings.

In the 12th century, a tradition arose to perform religious processions when transferring the relics of saints. Thus, during the reign of Vladimir Monomakh, on May 2, 1115, a religious procession took place to move the relics of Saints Boris and Gleb from the old church to the new stone Vyshgorod church. The solemn event was attended by governors, boyars, clergy and ordinary people. With the singing of psalms and burning candles, they accompanied the relics of the saints.

In 1352, Orthodox Christians held a religious procession in Pskov, calling on God for help to get rid of the pestilence. Archbishop Vasily of Novgorod put on sacred vestments and, accompanied by the clergy and all residents able to stand, walked around the city with a cross and holy relics with loud singing and prayers.

Under Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, an annual religious procession from the center of St. Petersburg to Porokhovye was established to commemorate the drought of 1730. Forests were burning near St. Petersburg, and there was a threat of fire in the city itself. Then a religious procession with a prayer service was held from the city center to the Elias Church. According to legend, rains soon began, saving the capital. The tradition of this religious procession lasted for about forty years.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a bright flourishing of religious processions. Religious processions to transfer the relics of saints became extraordinary events in people's life. Like, for example, the religious procession of the highest clergy with the participation of the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II and members of the imperial family on the occasion of the discovery of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov in 1903. The religious procession with the relics of Saint Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod in 1911, was of similar great importance.

The reference book “Orthodox Russian Monasteries” for 1910 indicates that 505 annual religious processions were held in 171 monasteries. About 19 of them were multi-week and even multi-month tours of the surrounding villages and towns of Russia with miraculous icons.

After the October Revolution, religious processions were banned in the country. However, pilgrims made pilgrimages to places where miraculous icons appeared and memorable places. Currently, the traditions of religious processions are being revived.

For a long time, only a walking procession with the participation of clergy and believers was recognized as a religious procession. However, thanks to technological progress, non-canonical religious processions began to be held with the blessing of the clergy. During the Great Patriotic War, on December 2, 1941, a plane flew around Moscow with a miraculous copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God on board (according to other sources, it was the icon of the Kazan Mother of God). After which the capital avoided the enemy's attack.

During the procession of the cross, the land on which we live is consecrated, consecrated as if by the feet of the Savior Himself, the Mother of God and the saints of God walking along it in their faces. Then air, fire, water are sanctified, without which we cannot live in our earthly life. They are consecrated by sprinkling with holy water and overshadowing the altar cross on all four sides in the places where the procession stops.

Metropolitan Philaret drew up rules of conduct during the religious procession from the Golutvin Monastery to Kolomna in memory of the end of cholera, but they are of a general nature.

“When you enter a procession of the cross, think that you are walking under the leadership of the saints, whose icons are marching in it, approaching the Lord Himself, to the extent that it is possible for us to be weak. The earthly shrine signifies and calls upon the heavenly shrine; the presence of the cross of the Lord and holy icons and sprinkling with blessed water cleanses the air and earth from our sinful impurities, removes dark forces and brings light ones closer.

Use this help for your faith and prayer and do not make it useless for you through your negligence. Hearing church singing in the procession, combine your prayer with it; and if you cannot hear from a distance, call to you the Lord, the Mother of God and His saints in the manner of prayer known to you. Do not enter into conversations with those accompanying you; and answer the one who begins the conversation with a silent bow or a short, only necessary word. The clergy should be an example of order and reverence, and the laity should not crowd among the clergy and upset order. It doesn’t matter if you lag behind in body: do not lag behind the shrine in spirit.”

In Orthodox churches there is always a procession of the cross on Easter. This solemn procession symbolizes the path of the church towards the good news of the resurrection of Christ. It is held annually on the night from Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday. The clergy and believers walk around the temple three times, and then, standing at its porch and hearing the good news of the Resurrection of the Savior, they enter the open doors of the church, where from that moment the Easter service begins.

The solemn church procession began to be called a “procession of the cross” due to the fact that at the beginning of the procession there is always a clergyman who carries a large cross. At the heart of this tradition is the belief in the power of communal prayer performed during processions of the cross. Such processions look very solemn. They are led by clergy who read prayers and carry religious relics: a cross, icons and church banners depicting biblical scenes (gonfalons). And after the holy fathers come the believers.

The history of religious processions dates back to the birth of Christianity. And if initially only a religious procession was performed on Easter, then over time, after the end of the persecution of Christians, this custom became widespread and firmly entered into the rites of Orthodox services. Nowadays, almost all significant events of church life are accompanied by a solemn Orthodox procession.

Since ancient times, religious processions have been held:

in honor of church festivities;
when transferring the relics of saints, as well as other religious shrines;
during various natural disasters, epidemics and wars, when people asked God for protection and salvation from the troubles that befell them.

It is known that the church history of Rus' itself began with the procession of the cross to the Dnieper, when the people of Kiev were baptized. Orthodox Christians in Rus' often held processions not only in honor of church holidays, but also in the event of various disasters, including natural disasters. For example, they walked around fields with icons during periods of drought, as well as villages and cities during terrible epidemics.

In the chronicles there is a mention of one of the first mass religious processions, which took place in the mid-14th century, when Rus' was attacked by a pestilence, from which the inhabitants of Pskov suffered the most. Then Archbishop Vasily of Novgorod, carrying the cross and holy relics, accompanied by the clergy and townspeople, made a procession around the city. Together with the clergy, almost all the local residents who were still standing took part in the procession, from the elderly to the babies carried by their parents in their arms. All the time while the procession was going on, the priests and believers prayed, loudly calling out in hundreds of voices: “Lord have mercy!”

For a long time, only a walking procession with the participation of clergy and believers was recognized as a religious procession. However, over time, thanks to technological progress, with the blessing of the clergy, non-canonical flight or air religious processions began to be performed.

During the Great Patriotic War, on December 2, 1941, a plane flew around Moscow with a miraculous copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God on board (according to other sources, it was the icon of the Kazan Mother of God). After this, the capital was saved from the enemy attack.

Easter procession: rules and symbolic meaning

Initially, the religious procession took place only on the day of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. From time immemorial, this procession symbolized not only the church going towards the Savior, but also the fact that before the news of the resurrection of Christ appeared, everyone was forced to wander in the dark until He showed everyone the way to the Light. Therefore, the Easter religious procession, although quite short, is arranged very solemnly, and participation in it is very important for any Christian.

The church service in honor of the Resurrection of Christ begins exactly at 00.00 hours on the night from Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday. Shortly before midnight, a solemn Easter procession takes place in all churches.

Despite the late hour, the procession passes under the incessant ringing of bells. The clergy and worshipers walk around the temple three times, each time stopping in front of its main entrance. The first two times the church doors are closed to the parishioners. The moment when people stand in the darkness of the night in front of the locked temple doors has great symbolic meaning. The church reminds us of how Christ’s contemporaries, before his resurrection, also stood in the darkness in front of the closed entrance to the cave where the Savior rested, as if in front of the closed gates of heaven.

Around midnight, when the religious procession again, for the third time, glorifying the Holy Trinity and the risen Son of God, approaches the doors of the church, they solemnly swing open, revealing light to all those praying in the darkness of the night. Thus, the church seems to open the heavenly gates of paradise for people and show the way to them. After which the entire procession enters the temple, which symbolizes the path of the myrrh-bearing women who entered Jerusalem in order to tell the apostles the good news of the Resurrection of Christ. The myrrh-bearing women, who did not know about the Resurrection of Christ, came to his tomb on the third day in order to rub the Savior’s body with precious oils. And only when they came to the entrance to the cave where, as they thought, Jesus Christ rested, the women learned about the miracle that had happened, after which they headed to Jerusalem to tell everyone about the resurrection of the Son of God.

The fact that the doors of the temple open to believers only for the third time has a deep theological meaning. Jesus Christ rose on the third day, so the Easter procession must go around the temple three times.

In Orthodox churches, as well as in Catholic churches that perform Eastern liturgical rites in their religious life, it has become a tradition to organize solemn processions with banners and icons, in front of which a large cross is usually carried. From him such processions received the name of religious processions. These could be processions organized on Easter week, Epiphany, or on the occasion of any significant church events.

Birth of a tradition

Processions of the cross are a tradition that came to us from the first centuries of Christianity. However, during the times of persecution of followers of the evangelical teaching, they were associated with considerable risk, and therefore were carried out in secret, and almost no information about them has been preserved. Only a few drawings on the walls of the catacombs are known.

The earliest mention of such a ritual dates back to the 4th century, when the first Christian emperor Constantine I the Great, before the decisive battle, saw in the sky the sign of the cross and the inscription: “By this victory.” Having ordered the production of banners and shields with the image of a cross, which became the prototype of future banners, he moved a column of his troops towards the enemy.

Further, the chronicles report that a century later, Bishop Porfiry of Gaza, before erecting another Christian temple on the site of a ruined pagan temple, made a religious procession to it to consecrate the land desecrated by idolaters.

Emperor in hair shirt

It is also known that the last emperor of the united Roman Empire, Theodosius I the Great, used to perform religious processions with his soldiers every time he went on a campaign. These processions, preceded by the emperor, dressed in a hair shirt, always ended near the tombs of the Christian martyrs, where the honorable army prostrated themselves, asking for their intercession before the Heavenly Powers.

In the 6th century, religious processions in churches were finally legalized and became a tradition. They were given such great importance that the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (482-565) issued a special decree according to which it was forbidden for the laity to perform them without the participation of clergy, since the pious ruler saw in this a profanation of the sacred rite.

The most common types of religious processions

Having become over time an integral part of church life, religious processions today take a wide variety of forms and are performed on a number of occasions. Among them the most famous are:

The Easter religious procession, as well as all other processions associated with this main holiday of the annual Orthodox circle. This includes the religious procession on Palm Sunday ─ “walking on a donkey.” On Holy Saturday, the prototype of the procession is the removal of the shroud. It is celebrated at Easter Matins (this will be discussed in more detail below), as well as daily during Bright Week and every Sunday until the day of Easter.
Processions of the cross on the days of major Orthodox holidays, as well as patronal holidays, celebrated by the community of a particular parish. Such processions are often organized in honor of the consecration of temples or celebrations dedicated to especially revered icons. In these cases, the route of the religious procession runs from village to village, or from temple to temple.
To consecrate the water of various sources, as well as rivers, lakes, etc. They are performed on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord (or on the Christmas Eve preceding it), on Friday of Bright Week ─ the feast of the Life-Giving Spring, and on August 14, on the day of the Carrying of the Venerable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord .
Funeral processions accompanying the deceased to the cemetery.
Associated with any, as a rule, unfavorable life circumstances, for example, drought, floods, epidemics, etc. In such cases, a religious procession is part of a prayer service for the intercession of the Heavenly Forces and the sending of deliverance from the disasters that have befallen, which include also man-made disasters and military actions.
Inside the temple, performed on a number of festivals. Lithium is also considered a type of religious procession.
Performed on the occasion of any public holidays or major events. For example, in recent years it has become a tradition to celebrate National Unity Day with religious processions.
Missionary religious processions held with the aim of attracting non-believers or followers of other religious teachings into their ranks.

Aerial religious processions

It is interesting to note that in our age of scientific and technological progress, a completely new non-canonical form of holding a religious procession using technical means has appeared. This term usually means a flight made by a group of priests with an icon on an airplane, performing prayer services in certain places.

It began in 1941, when the miraculous copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was placed around Moscow in this way. This tradition was continued during the perestroika years by flying over the borders of Russia, timed to coincide with the 2000th anniversary of the Nativity of Christ. It is believed that as long as the procession of the cross, performed on an airplane, lasts, the grace of God is sent down to earth.

Features of the religious procession

According to the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic tradition, the Easter procession, like any other procession performed around the temple, moves in the direction opposite to the movement of the sun, that is, counterclockwise - “anti-salt”. Orthodox Old Believers perform their religious processions, moving in the direction of the sun ─ “salt.”

All church clergy participating in it go in pairs in vestments appropriate for the given occasion. At the same time, they sing a prayer canon. A mandatory attribute of a procession is a cross, as well as burning censers and lamps. In addition, banners are carried during the procession, the ancient prototype of which is military banners, which once became part of sacred rites, since emperors took part in them. Also, from time immemorial, the tradition of carrying icons and the Gospel came.

When does the procession start on Easter?

Among the many questions that interest everyone who is just beginning their “path to the temple,” on the eve of the Holy Resurrection of Christ, this one is asked most often. “What time is the procession on Easter?” ─ asked mainly by those who do not attend church regularly, but only on the days of the main Orthodox holidays. It is impossible to answer this by naming the exact time, since this happens around midnight, and some deviations in both one direction and the other are quite acceptable.

Midnight Office

The festive church service, during which a religious procession takes place, begins on the evening of Holy Saturday at 20:00. Its first part is called the Midnight Office. It is accompanied by sad chants dedicated to the suffering on the cross and the death of the Savior. The priest and deacon perform incense (fumigate with a censer) around the Shroud - a cloth plate with an image of Christ laid in the coffin. Then, with the singing of prayers, they take it to the altar and place it on the Throne, where the Shroud will remain for 40 days until the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord.

The main part of the holiday

Shortly before midnight it is time for Easter Matins. All the priests, standing at the Throne, perform a prayer service, at the end of which the ringing of bells is heard, heralding the approach of the bright holiday of the Resurrection of Christ and the beginning of the procession. According to tradition, the solemn procession circles the temple three times, each time stopping at its doors. Regardless of how long the procession lasts, they remain closed, thereby symbolizing the stone that blocked the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher. Only the third time the doors open (the stone is thrown away), and the procession rushes inside the temple, where Bright Matins is celebrated.

Festive singing of bells

An important component of the solemn procession around the temple is the ringing of bells ─ at the time the procession of the cross on Easter leaves the doors of the temple, at the same time its joyful sounds, called “trebelling,” begin to be heard. The complexity of this type of bell ringing lies in the fact that it includes three independent parts, constantly alternating and separated only by a short pause. From time immemorial it was believed that it was during the religious procession that bell ringers had the most favorable opportunity to show off their skills.

The festive Easter service usually ends no later than 4 am, after which the Orthodox break their fast, eating colored eggs, Easter cakes, Easter cakes and other foods. During the entire Bright Week, announced by the joyful ringing of bells, it was customary to have fun, go to visit and receive relatives and friends. One of the main requirements for every owner of the house was generosity and hospitality, so widespread in Orthodox Rus'.