KURSK METROPOLIATE: 20 June 2023
The Kursk Diocese holds its traditional procession of the cross with a painted copy of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign"

On June 16, 2023, on the day of the celebration of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign,” which is celebrated on the 9th Friday after Easter, a traditional procession took place with a copy of the icon from the Znamensky Monastery of Kursk to the Kursk-Root Hermitage of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin.

Before the beginning of the procession in the Cathedral of Our Lady “of the Sign,” His Eminence Metropolitan Herman of Kursk and Rylsk, His Grace Bishop Paisius of Zheleznogorsk and L’gov, together with numerous clergy of the Metropoliate of Kursk, celebrated the Divine Liturgy. During the service, abbesses with nuns from local monasteries of Kursk and thousands of Orthodox believers prayed. Many of them partook of Christ's Holy Mysteries.

At the end of the Liturgy, Bishop Herman addressed the worshipers, recalling the history and meaning of this spiritually-significant sacred event and calling for a conciliar prayer for the country and for the Kursk region: "First of all, we must offer prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos, so that She will beg God's mercy to cover us from all evil, from the invasion of foreigners, from destruction, to save our city, region, and the whole Russian country and to grant blessed peace to all peoples.

“I wish all of you strength and a prayerful spiritual state through this holy path. Let us unite in a prayer of repentance, sincerity and love to the Lord and the Most Pure Lady, the Mother of God. May Her protection and intercession be over all of you who love and honor Her and gather in multitudes for Her most glorious feast."

Then, under the ringing of bells, a painted copy of the icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign" was taken out of the cathedral, and the hierarch blessed Kursk with the holy image of the Mother of God in the four cardinal directions, and the procession of thousands began its journey through the city center to Vvedensky Church. Many residents of Kursk, having left their workplaces for the event, went out to see the shrine in the Root Hermitage, the place of its summer sojourn.

This year it was held in a modified format - the pilgrims walked through the city to Perekalsky Square, where the priests once again blessed the city of Kursk with the holy icon and transported it to the village of Zhernovets, where the participants of the procession arrived by bus. The solemn procession continued from the village of Zhernovets to the Znamensky Church in the village of Tazovo, Zolotukhinsky district.

At the Church of the Holy Righteous Forebears of God Joachim and Anna of the village of Dolgoye, the icon was met by the heads of the executive and legislative branches, distinguished guests, participants of the Kursk Fair, which is held annually at the walls of the monastery in Svoboda, Zolotukhinsky district.

At the Kursk-Root Hermitage of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the icon was greeted by the Abbot Seraphim (Kotelnikov) and the brethren. In the ancient monastery, the bishops, together with the clergy, performed a moleben in front of the icon. Then Metropolitan Herman congratulated the brethren of the monastery and pilgrims on their spiritual celebration.

At the end, all participants of the procession venerated the revered image installed on the analogion in the main church of the monastery.

Metropoliate of Kursk