Velikoretsk religious procession (03/06)

The Velikoretsk religious procession in honor of the appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (called St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the Velikoretsk image) – is the oldest, most majestic, and today also the most crowded of all religious processions in the Vyatka land, and one of the largest in Russia. It takes place annually from June 3 to 8 with the revered Velikoretsk miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Initially, the move began from St. Seraphim Cathedral in the city of Kirov, but in recent years it has started from the Holy Dormition Trifonov Monastery in the city of Kirov. Its final destination –, the village of Velikoretskoye, remains unchanged. Here, on the banks of the Velikaya River, solemn services are held in churches, and then the procession returns back to Kirov. Thousands of pilgrims from different cities and villages of Russia and even from abroad take part in this action every year. Every year their number is growing, and no one is afraid of this 150-kilometer journey.

The procession has been known since the early 15th century. Legend has it that in 1383, the image of St. Nicholas on the high bank of the Velikaya River appeared to a certain Vyatka peasant Agalakov. Soon, healings and other miracles began from this icon, and rumors about the miraculous image quickly spread throughout the area.

People flocked to the icon, a chapel was built at the site of the phenomenon, and soon a temple appeared. But fearing for the safety of the icon, the Vyatichi moved it to the capital of the province – in Khlynov (today – Kirov), but made a vow to annually bring the icon to the site of the phenomenon. This is how the tradition of the Velikoretsk religious procession was born.

In 1668, the official day was set for celebrating the appearance of the Velikoretsk Icon of St. Nicholas – on June 6 (new style), on this day solemn services are held in the village of Velikoretskoye.

Moreover, initially the religious procession was carried out along the Vyatka and Velikaya rivers on boats and rafts, and since 1778 a new route – land route (150 km in total) was developed, which is still in effect today.

It is worth noting that after the October Revolution of 1917 and the establishment of Soviet power, the tradition of religious procession was preserved for some time. However, already in the 1930s it was banned, but despite this, groups of pilgrims still went to the banks of the Velikaya River, to the place where the miraculous icon was found. The ban was officially lifted only in 1989, and in 2000, by decree of Patriarch Alexy II, the Velikoretsky religious procession was given the status of All-Russian.

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