“PRORIV!” : Spiritually we are together with “Star of Ever-Virgin Mary”

 According to the press service of International Youth Corporation and People’s Democratic Party “PRORIV!”, “the overwhelming majority of Pridnestrovian people are orthodox believers.  That is why a joint icon-bearing procession “Under the star of Ever-Virgin Mary”, held on the 8^th of June in Moscow and devoted to the reunification of the Orthodox Church, is spiritually and historically very important for us. We have canonical attitude to the Russian Orthodox Church and highly appreciate this opportunity of spiritual transfiguration and progress. During Cyril and Methodius Days in Tiraspol a great icon-bearing procession was organized and “PRORIV!” activists took part in it as well as clergy and public. By this action we showed spiritual unity with Russia. Many young people in our organization are guided by Orthodox faith and traditions of our ancestors who achieved the opportunity to profess the Orthodoxy through sufferings. Today we welcome the joint icon-bearing procession “Under the star of Ever-Virgin Mary” held in Moscow and announce the necessity to strengthen the unity of all orthodox peoples.”

According to the information of Russian agency “NOVOSTI”, in Moscow the procession started at the Kazan Cathedral, where The Divine Liturgy and the church service were held. The participants of the procession went along Novinka Street, Andropov Avenue, Nagatinskaya Quay, and along the quays of Moscow River (Novodanilovskaya, Danilovskaya, Paveletskaya, Derbenevskaya, Shlyuzovaya, Kosmodamianskaya, Raushskaya, Sofiyskaya), Krenlevskaya Quay and Soimonovskiy Passage.

 According to the estimation of organizers, about 10 000 people took part in the procession. When the procession reached the Cathedral of the Redeemer, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexis the Second met it there.

 From May 2007 to June 2008 pedestrian religious processions, which symbolize 8 rays of the star of Ever-Virgin Mary, were organized in Russia. They started from 6 Russian cities: Vladivostok, Barnaul, Yakutsk, Rostov-on-Don, St. Petersburg, Archangelsk, and also from 2 Ecumenical Orthodox centers – Jerusalem and the Holy Mt. Athos. On the 8^th of June the participants of processions gathered at one place - the Cathedral of the Redeemer in Moscow, which celebrates its 125 anniversary since the first dedication.