PHOTOfact: scientific and educational expedition "Road to the Shrines" started in Minsk
13:00, 3 September
The scientific and educational expedition "Road to the Shrines" started in Minsk, BELTA reports. Before the start of the route, a prayer service was held with the participation of Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl Veniamin, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. He noted that the expedition participants will try to visit as many settlements as possible and hold meetings with people, touching upon the topics of spirituality, morality and patriotism. "The topic of love for the Fatherland, history, culture of our country, native language. This is all that unites people, and such meetings are necessary," he emphasized.
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The Patriarchal Exarch noted that the expedition unites people of different professions - poets, writers, cultural figures, scientists and clergymen who diligently serve the common cause. "On the eve of the Day of Belarusian Literature, it is very important to touch upon the origins of our spirituality in the Belarusian lands, the origins of writing and to talk about this both to the younger generation and to remind people of the older generation. Many events within the expedition will be dedicated to this," he said.
The Metropolitan drew attention to the fact that this year the expedition is taking place under the sign of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the 900th anniversary of the founding of the Polotsk Spaso-Euphrosyne Monastery, the 800th anniversary of the St. Eliseevsky Lavrishevsky Monastery and many other important dates.
The Minister of Information Marat Markov and the Deputy Commissioner for Religious and National Affairs Sergei Gerasimenya also addressed the participants with parting words. Also, as part of the beginning of the expedition, an agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus and the Belarusian Orthodox Church was signed.
This year, about 25 expedition participants will travel along the route Minsk - Baranovichi District - Zelva - Kozlovshchina - Dyatlovo - Oshmyany - Ivye. According to the head of the scientific and educational expedition, Alexander Lopata-Zagorsky, they will travel about 777 km in total. The goal is to create an atmosphere of the Day of Belarusian Literature in each district.
The expedition "Road to the Shrines" is being held for the 32nd time. "We already have a lot of experience, and we calculated that this year, taking into account previous expeditions, we will overcome the equator - that is, 40 thousand km that were "wound" through all the districts of Belarus," he said.
The head added that this year the participants are visiting districts that they have not visited as part of the expedition for more than 10 years. "Every time we come, it shows that we have left a good mark. Last year, on the pages of the district newspaper, one student said that for her, the Day of Belarusian Literature is associated with the "Road to the Shrines", where her grandmother took her. And these are symbolic fruits. We also come to places where we once planted a garden with prayer, we meet trees that are already big. The priests also remember us, and many of them say that during this time we have really grown up," shared Alexander Lopata-Zagorsky.
The expedition "Road to the Shrines" is held annually before the Day of Belarusian Literature. It starts in Minsk, from where the participants set off with the Holy Fire. Along the route, clergymen consecrate monuments and places of military glory. Spiritual and educational conferences, meetings with parishioners of churches and work collectives are held, and visits to social institutions are organized.
