International Orthodox Christian News

On Sunday, a religious procession of several thousand people that began at the Kolomenskoye Museum-preserve proceeded to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, having covered 16 kilometers in five hours.

As the procession approached, clouds of unusual shape, resembling a star's diverging rays, appeared in the sky above the cathedral. Many of the faithful, having learned about this phenomenon from one another, exited the cathedral in order to look at the "miracle," which several called "the shroud of the Virgin Mother."

The solemn procession through the streets and embankments of Moscow completed the spiritual program of eight processions called "Under the Star of the Virgin," which began May 17 of the last year and is dedicated to the re-uniting of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia with the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Ortho­dox Church.

For several months eight processions bearing miracle-working icons and saints' relics have walked from various parts of the world to the capital of Russia.

Each procession symbolized one of the eight rays of the "star of the Virgin," and came together on June 8 at Christ the Savior, celebrating the 125th anniversary of the cathedral's first consecration.

More than 4,000 people took part in the final, united religious procession. In the Cathedral the pilgrims were met by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Alexis II.

In addition to religious processions and services, the international program of "Under the Star of the Virgin," included conferences and discussions, the setting up of holy crosses, and the laying of new churches.

The program promoted the consolidation of society and the Church and the strengthening of the spiritual unity of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

The St. Andrew's Flag Fund considers it deeply symbolical that the program was completed precisely on June 8, as this is when the memorial day of the holy fathers of the First Council of Nicaea is celebrated.