The Second All-Belarusian Procession of the Cross has reached the land of Lepel. It began on the territory of the Hero Fortress of Brest. Participants, carrying icons, lamps, and banners, walked across the whole of Belarus and arrived in the Lepel region. They carry a brass capsule as their most precious relic. Soil from the sites of fierce battles and mass graves of Soviet citizens killed by the fascists is placed inside it.
The main ceremonies took place near the monument to Soviet soldiers in front of the railway station. In the afternoon, servicemen from units of the Zaslonovo garrison, members of the regional organization of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM), pioneers, and schoolchildren lined up in neat rows on the square. Representatives of the local authorities, public associations, and residents of the city participated in the event. A procession with lamps and banners moved from the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord to the monument.
The first word was spoken by Hieromonk Father Sergey Konstantinov of the Vitebsk Diocese. Throughout the ages, the Orthodox Church has blessed selfless and faithful service to the Fatherland. When the enemy attacked our Motherland, the Church forgot all the grievances inflicted upon it by the Soviet authorities and poured all its strength into the common struggle against the brown plague. While soldiers were breaking the fascist backbone on the fronts, partisans and underground fighters did not allow the enemy to rest in the rear, and priests in churches offered prayers for the victory of our army. Many priests, like the ancient warrior-monks Peresvet and Oslyabya, took up arms and bravely went into battle themselves. Many were awarded government honours.
After the speeches, soil from Charnaruchcha – a place of mass executions of Soviet citizens – was placed into the capsule. After Lepel, the capsule, along with the procession, will continue its journey through Belarus, and the participants will complete it in Minsk on Victory Day.