Russian Prime Minister Putin Among Two Million Pilgrims to Venerate the Virgin’s Holy Belt

November 28, 2011 | Asia News (Asia News)

The relic’s tour of Russia ends. In Moscow alone 800 thousand Orthodox Christian faithful braved sub-zero temperatures to see it. During the election campaign, political leaders also were in the church. Some see this as a “clear sign of the religious revival of the post-Soviet Russia”, and others see it as proof of the “social desperation” that is gripping the country. Perhaps it is both.

MOSCOW, Russia (AsiaNews) – A veritable ocean of people caused the center of the Russian capital to be brought to a standstill as the most unlikely candidates rushed to kneel in church. From November 19 to 27 the Holy Belt of the Virgin was on display in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

One of the most venerated relics of the Orthodox Christian world, it drew about 800 thousand pilgrims to Moscow, who have faced queues of up to 5 km with average 12-15 hour wait and sub-zero temperatures.

Not even in the Soviet times could the mummified corpse of Lenin boast such numbers. Political leaders, aware of the importance of the event, took advantage of the occasion to boost their visibility ahead of the legislative election on December 4.

The prime minister – and possible future Russian president – Vladimir Putin, and the leader of the Communists, Gennady Ziuganov, were just some of the most famous figures who flocked to kiss the relic that here-to-fore had never left Mount Athos, where it is kept.

Many others, bypassing the kilometer-long queue, arrived in front of the cathedral with sirens blaring and used preferential queues to the anger of waiting crowds.

For days it was difficult to even walk around Christ the Saviour. The police were forced to deploy 14 thousand agents to ensure security, who even demanded documents from pedestrians to cross the street.

The Holy Belt of the Virgin arrived in the Russian capital at the end of a tour of the Country, which began on October 24 from St. Petersburg. In all two million pilgrims flocked to worship it in 14 different cities before arriving in the capital.

On average, the comments have pitted those who read the story of this outpouring of veneration as a “clear sign of the religious revival of the post-Soviet Russia”, and those who see it as proof of the “social desperation” that is gripping the country where the growth in the number of billionaires does not promote a more widespread prosperity.

Related Story: http://marianews.com/wordpress/3028/50-thousand-orthodox-christians-venerate-holy-belt-of-the-virgin-in-moscow/

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50 Thousand Orthodox Christians Venerate Holy Belt of the Virgin in Moscow

Monday, November 21, 2011 6:16 PM | Asia News (Asia News)

The relic, one of the most venerated in the Orthodox world, ends its tour of Russia at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Thousands waited up to 18 hours to see it. The security measures deployed are at the highest levels, because the exposure of the relic coincides with the celebrations for the birthday of Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill, November 20.

MOSCOW, Russia (AsiaNews) – The Holy Belt of the Virgin, one of the most venerated relics of the Orthodox Christian world, has arrived in the Russian capital after a tour of the country which began Oct. 24 from St. Petersburg.

Over 50 thousand faithful went to the at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the first two days of exposure (19 to 20 November), where it is on display until Nov. 27. Thelucjey ones waited six hours before entering. Others expected to wait 18 hours beneath the first hints of autumn snowfall in Moscow.
The security measures deployed are at the highest levels, because the exposure of the relic coincides with the celebrations for the birthday of Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill, November 20.

Already the night of November 18, the authorities had placed metal detectors at every entrance to the large square which leads to the cathedral, a symbol of post-Soviet Russia’s religious revival. For two days the traffic around Christ the Saviour was paralyzed and a queue of people waited on sidewalks adjacent to the church, preventing the passage of pedestrians.

With the ‘tour’ of Russia, the Sacred Belt of the Holy Virgin left the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos, where it is kept for the first time in history. This rare ‘loan’ was obtained by the the Foundation “St. Andrew the First called,” led by the head of the State Railways, Vladimir Yakunin.

“One of the reasons why we asked the monastery to allow the Sacred Belt to tour Russia is the demographic situation of our country – said Yakunin to the press – We hope it will stimulate interest in the spiritual revival of our society and family values.”