With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Vladimir, for the fifth time in row the Cross procession within Pilgrimage of the youth action took place last Sunday. Young pilgrims, guided by priests and blessed by the Metropolitan, started their walk from the Meeting of the Lord church at Moldova State University, heading towards the monastery of Saint James the Persian of Sireti village.
Over 700 persons participated in the event, making this year’s pilgrimage larger that any of previous 5 years’ processions. On their way, the Christians from Chisinau were joined by believers from neighboring villages – Truseni, Dumbrava, Vatra, Cojusna, and Ghidigici. Many people came to Chisinau from other raions, to participate in this Cross procession.
At the outskirts of Sireti village, the pilgrims were very warmly greeted by local inhabitants, and, arriving at St. James the Persian Monastery, under the joyful tolling of the bells, they were welcomed with much brotherly love by the monks, headed by the Elder – Archimandrite Porfirie. On this occasion, the Right Reverend father said: “Pilgrimage is a spiritual act of thanksgiving to God for all gifts received from Heavens. Thus, pilgrimage is an ascetic act, a thanksgiving offering to Lord. And this Cross procession is a true witnessing of faith, especially in the late times of more and more outlining apostasy”
The Christians were welcomed to enter the monastery and its churches, to bow in prayer before the Holy Relics and thank God for His utmost mercy, after which they were invited to a brotherly agape, organized by the monastic settlers and the inhabitants of Sireti village.
Father Octavian Mosin, the rector of the Meeting of the Lord church and the organizer of the Pilgrimage of youth procession, on behalf of the pilgrims, thanked elder Porfirie, the settlers of the monastery, and the village inhabitants, for their hospitality, and also thanked the pilgrims and the priests, for their willingness to participate in the procession, mentioning that it is absolutely clear that the Pilgrimage of youth action is already becoming a traditional pilgrimage.
At the end, the procession participants were transported back to Chisinau on four buses.